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Topic: Sudan President’s amnesty releases Christian woman
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News Room
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Joined: 07/25/2004
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Posted: 08/09/2013 at 2:54pm
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Sudan President’s amnesty releases Christian woman
Published: April 12, 2013
WORLDWATCH
MONITOR
In prison for 7 weeks without trial, against backdrop of
Khartoum church closures
It has been a little more than a week since Salwa Fahmi
Suleiman Gireis, a 64-year old Sudanese accountant has
been released from prison on Tues 2nd April. She was
detained without charge for 7 weeks by the Sudanese
security services, following arrest from her home in
Khartoum. Amnesty International had called Ms Fahmi a
‘prisoner of conscience,’ held solely for her peaceful
work with a religious organisation.
One of Ms Fahmi’s family said “She is doing fine, and has
been welcomed home by a stream of visitors throughout the
week.” He went on to say that “It was a joy to reunite
with her brothers and sisters from church for worship, as
many have been praying and fasting for her.”
The move comes as tensions ease in Sudan amid improving
relations with neighbouring South Sudan.
Ms Fahmi was freed from prison a day after Sudanese
President Omar al-Bashir on Monday 1st April ordered the
release of all political detainees. He said in a speech
to Parliament that all political prisoners would be
freed, and that Sudan now "guaranteed the atmosphere for
freedoms and the safeguarding of the freedom of
expression of individuals and groups".
"Today, we announce a decision to free all the political
prisoners and renew our commitment to all political
powers about dialogue," he said, without giving further
details.
The government would continue to communicate with "all
political and social powers without excluding anyone,
including those who are armed, for a national dialogue
which will bring a solution to all the issues," he added.
The same day as Salwa was released, seven opposition
political activists were also released – most of them had
been arrested after attending a meeting in Uganda,
allegedly to plot a coup.
Religious tensions and security have been heightened
since South Sudan became independent in 2011, with a
dispute over oil escalating to the brink of war nearly a
year ago.
However, in September the leaders of both nations signed
a deal, mediated by the African Union, to resume oil
sales and set up a demilitarised buffer zone. The oil
production from South Sudan started to flow again into
Port Sudan in the North on 6th April.
The President claimed that his efforts have been made to
ease strains and improve relations between the two
countries.
In the newly formed Muslim majority country, President
Bashir has made it clear that he’s set on creating a
Sharia state. Christians are increasingly persecuted;
over the past few weeks Sudan’s National Intelligence and
Security Services (NISS) have ordered more than 100
expatriate workers suspected of being involved with
Christian activities to leave the country or face
deportation.
Ms Fahmi was the last Christian national to be released:
she was arrested on February 12th when four men who
identified themselves as members of the NISS entered the
house and arrested her without providing a reason. Later
that same day, the men returned and confiscated her
passport and all of the house’s electronic equipment,
including laptops, a desktop computer, tablets and a
router.
Following Ms Fahmi’s arrest, plain-clothed men proceeded
to cause havoc at her family’s farm by killing pigs,
stealing a motorcycle and sealing up cupboards containing
the family’s Bibles.
While in detention she was denied access to a lawyer and
her family was only allowed to visit her once.
Upon her release she was promised that her passport,
identification papers and the other IT things that were
taken from her home would be returned, but so far that
has not happened.
President Bashir's announcement of “an atmosphere for
freedom” was welcomed by Human Rights Watch, which said
“it hoped it would lead to an end to arbitrary detentions
and torture under Sudan's strict national security laws.”
The government says the new constitution will guarantee
religious freedom, but many Christians are wary because
authorities started a crackdown in December; believers
say that it has been getting worse, with several Khartoum
churches destroyed or locked up by government
authorities.
The Sudan Council of Churches’ office in Nyala, Darfur
remains closed since we first reported this in May 2012.
President Bashir came to power in a coup in 1989, and is
the only sitting President wanted by the International
Criminal Court on charges of genocide - related to the
decade-long conflict in Darfur. In March he said he would
step down at the next election in 2015 because Sudan
needs "fresh blood".
"He is considering his legacy having indicated he will
not run in 2015," says Alex Vines, head of the Africa
program at Chatham House, a London-based think tank.
"This about the redefinition of Sudan following the
independence of the South. Bashir knows old strategies
need to be reformed. It is also a clever way to respond
to growing unified opposition."
Edited by News Room on 08/09/2013 at 2:57pm
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