On 14 December 2010, human rights defender Dr Abdul Bassit Mirghani was arrested by Sudanese security officials in Khartoum and his current location is unknown.

Further information

This arrest forms part of a wave of arrests across Khartoum on the same day, during which 41 women and 4 men were arrested by state security officers while participating in a peaceful demonstration. Abdul Bassit Mirghani is the manager of El Fanar Centre for Human Rights, which hosted a meeting of the initiative “No to Oppressing Women” on 13 December.

On the morning of the 14 December 2010, hundreds of women and men gathered peacefully in central Khartoum as part of the initiative “No to Oppressing Women” in order to deliver a petition signed by many Sudanese citizens to the Ministry of Justice. The petition condemned the manner in which women are routinely punished in Sudan. Before the gathering reached the office of the minister, 41 women and 4 men were arrested by security officers. Some of the detainees were subject to long interrogations at the Sudanese National Intelligence Service’s headquarters and then transferred to police stations. Others were kept for interrogation at police stations throughout Khartoum. Some of the women were badly beaten and hospitalized as a result of their injuries.

On 13 December 2010, the initiative “No to Oppressing Women” had been invited by Abdul Bassit Mirghani to hold a meeting concerning the peaceful demonstration at the offices of El Fanar Centre for Human Rights.

Front Line believe that human rights defender Mr Abdul Bassit Mirghani was arrested for his legitimate work in the defence of human rights, and in particular for his role in facilitating the initiative “No to Oppressing Women”. Front Line is concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Mr Mirghani, and considers that while being held in incommunicado detention there is a greater risk that he may be subjected to ill-treatment.