​KHARTOUM, THE DARFURI STUDENT PROTEST 17th July 2014

The security forces and the riot police dispersed a peaceful protest held by a group of around twenty Darfuri students from East Darfur Association (SIBDO), who gathered to deliver a petition to the Sudanese Parliament on the 17th of July, against the tribal conflict in East Darfur and calling for an end to the war between Ma'alia and Rezaigat tribes.

As the group approached the parliament building in Omdurman, around 11.00am, they were confronted by national security personnel in plain clothes and the riot police. The security forces used excessive force against the protesters, beating the peaceful demonstrators and destroying their banners. Five students were arrested and taken into police custody where they were accused of public disturbance and defamation of the police (Article 77 of the Sudanese penal code).

The students who were arrested were released later on the same day on personal bail:

1. Sadia Elsheikh, 23 years , Sudan University for Science and Technology, from Tinne
2. Mohammed Abdalla Yagoub, 26, Faculty of Law, University of Khartoum, from Alde’ain
3. Brima Mohammed Ali, 26, Imam Elhadi University, Al Geneina
4. Abdellatif Abdalla Fa’ig, 26, Faculty of Sociology, Elnilein University, from Alde’ain
5. Mohammed Elsheikh Yahya, 17, Faculty of Law, Elnilein University from Alde’ain.

Sadia Elsheik was severely injured on the head and her mobile phone was taken from her. She filed a case against the police, who tried to strike a bargain that if she dropped the case the police would reciprocate by waiving the charges against her and the other students.

SUDO UK condemns the attack on the students' peaceful demonstration and calls on the Government to bring security officers’ responsible for using excessive force against the students to justice and to drop all charges against the students.