| |
|
 |
UN concerned
at Sudan anti-terror courts
|
 |
| |
KHARTOUM(August
08,2008) - The United Nations on Thursday raised concerns
Sudanese anti-terrorism courts which condemned 30 Darfur rebels to
death did not meet international standards and urged the appeals courts
to review the sentences.
Defence lawyers have asked Sudan's Constitutional Court to overturn
the sentences, saying the special courts formed to try those alleged
to have been involved in a May attack on the capital were unconstitutional.
"It would appear that the accused were only given access to lawyers
after the trials began; confessions were obtained while the accused
were held incommunicado and in the absence of legal counsel, and the
court did not investigate allegations of ill treatment," a statement
from the head of the U.N. mission in Sudan, Ashraf Qazi said.
He added there was an extremely limited appeals process and encouraged
Sudan to abolish capital punishment.
The accused are allowed one appeal within one week under the rules
of the special court while in normal Sudanese judicial proceedings
they would have up to four chances to appeal over a much longer time
period.
"In capital punishment cases especially, the government has an
obligation to rigorously observe all fair trial guarantees set out
in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which
Sudan is a State party," Qazi's statement added.
"(Qazi) urges the appeal court to thoroughly review the 30 death
sentences in line with the Interim National Constitution and the Bill
of Rights," it added.
The unprecedented May attack killed more than 200 people and injured
hundreds others. The Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM)
were stopped only at bridges crossing the Nile to the presidential
palace and army head quarters.
Authorities arrested thousands of Darfuris and others following the
attack, in a move condemned by rights groups. Many were released but
more than 100 are expected to stand trial.
State news agency SUNA said the verdict in the case of senior JEM
commander Abdel Aziz el-Nur Ashr was expected on Aug. 17.
The International Criminal Court moved last month towards indicting
President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for genocide, war crimes and crimes
against humanity.
Last year it indicted a junior cabinet minister and an allied militia
leader for war crimes.
Sudan refuses to cooperate with the ICC and says its judicial system
can handle crimes in Darfur. This week the justice minister appointed
a special prosecutor for Darfur.
Other Sudanese rights lawyers dismissed the move saying Nimr Ibrahim
Mohamed cannot prosecute the same crimes as the ICC because war crimes
and genocide do not exist in Sudanese legislation.
|
| |
|
