Rights activists, students detained in Sudan: Amnesty News
Rights activists, students detained in Sudan: Amnesty

[JURIST] Sudan police have arrested five Sudanese human rights activists in the Darfur [JURIST news archive] region and beat and arrested several Sudanese students who were rioting on the Juba University campus in Northern Khartoum, according to Amnesty International [advocacy website]. The five activists, members of the Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO) [advocacy website], were arrested during a human rights workshop in the Darfur region of Ed-Daien, but have not been charged. Amnesty also said that credible sources have told the organization that 51 male students arrested during the college campus riot are still in detention and being tortured.

Amnesty is urging officials to bring those arrested to a prompt, fair trial [press release] and to ensure basic rights of the detainees, including the right to legal counsel, access to family and to a doctor. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour released a report [DOC text; JURIST report] last month heavily criticizing the operations of security forces in Sudan [JURIST news archive], saying the operated in a culture of impunity. Reuters has more.