Sudan: 29 security agents sentenced to death for teacher’s killing

A Sudanese court on Monday sentenced 29 members of the national security and intelligence service to death for the torture and killing of a teacher.

A Sudanese court on Monday sentenced 29 members of the national security and intelligence service to death for the torture and killing of a teacher.

Ahmad al-Khair, 36, died in custody in February following his arrest during mass protests against Omar al-Bashir’s rule. The teacher was beaten and tortured to death in eastern province of Kassala.

It is the first time members of the national security service have been condemned to death in relation to the killing of protesters whose movement toppled veteran autocrat Omar Al Bashir.

The defendants were found guilty of torturing to death the protester at an intelligence services facility and sentenced to be hanged, Judge Sadig Albdelrahman said.

The prosecution said the death sentences were a just punishment.

Dozens of protesters from the teachers’ association gathered in front of the court in Khartoum’s twin city of Omdurman, carrying pictures of al-Khair.

Defence lawyers have two weeks to lodge an appeal against the death sentences. 

Sudanese first took to the streets just over a year ago, to protest against high bread prices, but the demonstrations soon turned into demands for Bashir to step down.

The president was deposed in April by the military.