JEM fighters ride on the back of a vehicle in Darfur region

SUDAN: RIGHTS GROUP CALL TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY

April 16, 2009: the Sudan Human Rights Organisation (SHRO) criticised Sudanese Courts for continually inflicting death sentences in seriously flawed cases.
“The sentences passed on 10 members of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) are based on political reasons. The trials were largely influenced by prior condemnation of the accused by the government media and security pressures, at the expense of the rights to public trial, legal visitation and consultation.”
“The number of days allowable for appeals is inadequate. Allegations of torture by government forces was unlawfully ignored by the court in both pre-trial and trial procedures.”
“The Government of Sudan is strongly urged to abolish the death penalty, which has been excessively used in trials particularly targeting the African-descent ethnic groups of Darfur by executive and judicial authorities of the State”.
SHRO-Cairo urges the Sudanese Judiciary to maintain an independent status in compliance with the Interim Constitution, free of executive influences whether by security pressures or by media campaigns.
The Organization urges the competent authorities to order new trials for the Darfuri accused people that have been placed under quasi-military private trials by the political will of the government. (Sources: Sudan Tribune, 16/04/2009)