Sudan police release aid worker
U.S. humanitarian aid worker, Rudwan Dawod, has been release from custody by Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Service.
Tom Prichard, the executive director of Sudan Sunrise in Washington DC, says he spoke with Dawod after his release.
“He sounded amazingly well and expressed his gratitude for everyone who helped get him released,” Prichard said.
Dawod, a legal permanent U.S. resident, was arrested in Khartoum, Sudan on July 3rd and falsely charged with terrorism for participating in a peaceful demonstration while in Sudan to visit family and renew his Sudanese passport. A Sudanese court acquitted Dawod of the false charge of terrorism on Monday, August 13th.
Directly after he received the verdict of not guilty, Dawod was taken into custody by Sudan’s NISS without being charged, or having access to his family or lawyer.
Dawod and other detained activists testified in court that they had suffered physical and psychological abuse, including being threatened with rape while detained by the NISS.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that the government of Sudan is slowly releasing political activists, and also indicate that the al-Bashir regime will release all political prisoners before August 18th in order to celebrate the Muslim holiday Eid with their families.
“The international attention to Rudwan’s detention may have contributed to the release of the other protesters who also have been released this week,” Prichard said.
Short URL: http://reportergary.com/?p=26711
Posted by Gary
on Aug 17 2012. Filed under Breaking News, Human Rights, World.
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