Civil society organizations protest being targeted

Protesters handing over the memo

The Campaign to Defend Freedom of Expression and Publication (CDFEP), and the Confederation of Civil Society Organizations (CCSO) today staged a peaceful demonstration outside the Presidential Palace, handing over a memorandum to President Omer AL-Bashir to protest the recent flurry of attacks on civil society organizations.

In a statement issued yesterday, of which “Spotlight on Sudan” received a copy, the CDFEP and CCSO said security officers blocked streets leading to the palace.

A delegation including Dr. Amin Mekki Medani, Kamal El-Jezouli, Samia Al-Hashimi, Moiz Hadhra and Rabah Elssadiq El-mahdi were, however, given access to the presidential palace to attempt to hand over the memo which authorities refused to receive.

The statement revealed that while leaving the palace with the rest of the delegation, Moiz Hadhra was arrested by security officers who confiscated his mobile phone when he tried to take pictures of the protest. Mr. Hadra was shortly released afterwards.

The memo, entitled “Memorandum on the attack on civil society organizations” called on the president to reverse the decisions to close down national organizations. Organizations are under an unjustified attack by governmental bodies which refuse to specify reasons for their decisions, the statement said.

“Being the guardian of the civil rights of all citizens and in charge of the National Security and Intelligence Service (NISS), the National Commission for Human Rights and the Ministry of Culture and Information, we implore you to cancel these unfair decisions” the memo said addressing the president.

 These organizations, which have remained committed to laws governing their work, are protected by the constitution, laws, humanitarian principles and values, and international charters and conventions, the memo stated.

The memo also called for an end to restrictions on press and journalists, as well as preemptive-censorship of the press and confiscation of newspapers.

Authorities have recently shut down four rights groups, along with the Sudanese Studies Center and revoked the registration of the Al-Khatim Adlan Center for Enlightenment and Human Development.

 Click here for the full text of Arabic version of memo.

See also the Arabic version of the story here