Blue Nile, October 14 (Darfur24)
Families of detainees in Sudan’s Blue Nile region have raised concerns over a reported wave of arrests by security services, citing limited information about detainees’ whereabouts, safety and legal status.
Relatives of three detainees told Darfur24 that the arrests had caused widespread anxiety among families. They called on authorities to disclose where the detainees were being held, allow them to contact their families and provide access to legal counsel.
The families also called for the release of anyone detained without a legal basis and urged authorities to inform detainees of the reasons for their arrest, allow them to challenge the legality of their detention and guarantee their right to a fair trial.
The complaints come amid concerns about the protection of civilians’ rights and the use of security measures to justify arbitrary detention or restrictions on freedoms outside legal frameworks.
The arrests are being carried out by a joint security cell comprising representatives of the army, the General Intelligence Service and the police. The cell says its mandate includes pursuing individuals suspected of cooperating with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), strengthening security and stability, and combating what it describes as “negative phenomena.”
In June, the security cell announced the arrest of approximately 120 people on suspicion of collaborating or spying for the RSF or photographing sites and institutions without permission. Sources told Darfur24 at the time that some detainees were released after several days, while others remained in custody.
On September 1, the security cell announced that a court in Damazin had sentenced a person convicted of collaborating with the RSF to death by hanging.
The security cell’s operations have drawn criticism from human rights groups, which have accused it of detaining civilians without clear legal procedures, violating their privacy and searching their phones.