[legal-professionals] Sudan: Arbitrary arrest of lawyer Ghazi Sulaiman

Cairo 9/2/2003

Urgent Appeal
Sudan

	The Arab Program for Human Rights Activists , APHRA, received with 
annoyance information by its correspondent in Sudan concerning the arrest 
yesterday the 8th of February of lawyer Ghazi Sulaiman (one of the local 
prominent human rights activists) and Ali al Haj Warraq the director of "al 
Hurriya" newspaper. The arrest took place while both me were in a meeting 
with the German Ambassadfor to discuss preparations for the annual memorial 
celebration of the martyred Mahmoud Mohamed Taha. Taha was one of the 
enlightened intellectuals was executed in 1985 by the Numeieri regime. The 
three men were arrested, but  the ambassador was released shortly after he 
was recognized.

       The Arab Program thus expresses its deep concern for what Ghazi 
Sulaiman is being exposed to especially that this is not the first time he 
is arrested. Sulaiman has been detained repeatedly before on the account of 
his peaceful activities which call for entrenching the values and 
principles of human rights in Sudan; and his continuous defense of public 
freedoms . APHRA therefore asserts its unlimited  support of Sulaiman and 
emphasizes that the behavior of Sudanese security authorities violates the 
Sudanese constitution which grants the right of association. This behavior 
also violates the international human rights conventions and agreements 
related to the basic right of association.

APHRA urges the Sudanese authorities to immediately release Ghazi Sulaiman 
and Ali al-Haj Warraq  as there is no legal reason to keep them detained. 
It also calls upon the authorities to liberate civil society institutions . 
It finally urges Arab and international organizations to support the two 
mentioned above until they get released.


ARAB PROGRAM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS
Observer Status at the ACHPR