Khartoum suspends activities of the people's congress activities; Turabi will be tried over sedition
Sudan, Politics, 4/2/2004

The Sudanese authorities have decided to bring the secretary general of the people's congress party, the opposition Islamic leader Hassan al-Turabi to trial over "creating sedition and instability," as well as suspension of the party's activities after detaining two leading figures and closing most of its premises in all parts of Sudan.

Abdullah Hassan, assistant for the leader of the people's congress party announced that the Sudanese authorities suspended activities of the party. Ahmad said that the Sudanese authorities summoned him up and handed him a message today ( Thursday) which read it is decided to suspend activities of the people's congress party until the case filed against its leaders is considered." The Sudanese authorities announced that suspension of the party activities comes following the " failed coupe " which was attributed to Turani's party.

Director of al-Turabi office Awad Babaker announced earlier that the security forces closed yesterday morning the party's main center in Riyadh quarters in Khartoum and controlled it. He added that according to reports so far received the security forces arrested 80% of the headquarters of the party in various parts of Sudan. Babaker said that the second man in the party, Ibrahim al-Sanousi, and another leading figure, Bader Eddin Taha, were arrested on Wednesday evening after they had organized a gathering in front of Turabi's house in Khartoum during which they announced that the party will organize a series of peaceful acts of protests including demonstrations and mass gatherings without asking a prior consent from the authorities. He added that another activist in the party, Jibril al-Neel, was detained yesterday making the detainees' number 14 who were detained during the last three days.

The Sudanese minister of the Interior, Abdul Rahman Muhammad Hussein, told the independent daily ( al-Sahafa ) that it was decided to bring the secretary general of the people's congress party to trial under the charge of provoking sectarianism and instability." The minister did not define the nature of the court where Turabi will be brought, but according to the Sudanese law, the penalty of this accusation might reach 10 year imprisonment.

The Sudanese authorities detained Turabi on Wednesday at dawn less than six months after releasing him after he was accused of encouraging a coupe attempt; linked to the conflict in Darfour.

On the other hand, the Sudanese official news agency said that the government started peace talks with Chad and with mediators trying to end the fighting continued since more than one year between Khartoum and Darfour rebels. On Tuesday, the government boycotted the inaugural session of talks with the rebels of Darfour area in protest on the attendance of two UN observers.

Previous Stories:
  Inter- Sudanese peace negotiations in Kenya extended; Turabi detained, accused of supporting Darfour's rebels   (4/1/2004)
  Sudan detains 10 army officers over involving in coupe operation   (3/31/2004)
  Khartoum: news on a coupe attempt   (3/30/2004)

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