EU 'Greatly Concerned' as Sudan Tightens Restrictions
The EU expressed "great concern" Wednesday over tighter restrictions in Sudan since ex-premier Sadiq al-Mahdi was detained in mid-May after reportedly accusing a counter-insurgency unit of abuses against civilians in Darfur.
President Omar al-Bashir appealed in January for a national political dialogue, and hinted at greater freedoms.
A tenuous political opening followed, with parties holding rallies and newspaper reports multiplying on alleged official corruption.
But Mahdi was arrested on May 17 for alleged treason after he reportedly accused the Rapid Support Forces of rape and other abuses of civilians in Sudan's western Darfur region.
Khartoum has since banned newspapers from reporting on the case.
In a joint statement, a European Union delegation called on all sides to back the dialogue and to "abstain from acts and statements that might derail the process".
"In this regard, we express great concern about recent actions, specifically measures imposing renewed limits on freedom of the press, and the freedoms of expression, association, participation, assembly and religion," it said in a joint statement with EU and Norwegian missions in the country.
"The arrest and continued detention of opposition leader Al-Sadiq al-Mahdi in particular risks having an adverse effect on the process of national dialogue.
"We therefore call on the Sudanese government to continue to work for peace, a meaningful national dialogue and full respect for human rights and basic political freedoms."
Source: Agence France Presse
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