[JURIST] The Sudanese government Tuesday arrested the Darfur coordinator for the Dutch branch of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) [NGO website], the second arrest of an MSF aid worker in two days. Vince Hoedt was detained over a March 2005 report [PDF text] alleging mass rape in the Darfur region. The Dutch head of MSF Paul Foreman was arrested earlier [JURIST report] in connection with the same document and was later released on bail after being charged with spying, publishing false reports, and undermining Sudanese society. The controversial report contained numerous anonymous accounts by victims of their rape, torture and sometimes arrest at the hands of Janjaweed militiamen. The charges against Hoedt have yet to be specified. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour called Foreman's arrest very disturbing and said that "MSF has done nothing more than record these horrendous crimes and try to focus critically needed attention on them." MSF has issued this statement on Hoedt's arrest. JURIST's Paper Chase has continuing coverage of Sudan. Reuters has more.
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