A Sudanese court has upheld the death sentence by hanging against 29 members of the national intelligence service.
These members were convicted of torturing and killing a detained protester during the uprising against longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir in 2019.
The death of protester Ahmed al-Khair, a school teacher, while in detention in February 2019 was a key point - and a symbol - in the uprising that convulsed the country.
That led, in April, to the toppling of Bashir and ultimately to the creation of a joint military-civilian Sovereign Council that has committed to rebuilding the country.
Khair was detained in January 2019 in his hometown of Kassala and was reported dead two days later.
His body was taken to a local hospital where his family said it was covered in bruises. At the time, police denied any police wrongdoing and blamed his death on an “illness,” without providing any details.
The detainees had appealed the court verdict. However, the Supreme Court issued its final verdict on Sunday, to uphold the conviction.
It also upheld the conviction of five of the defendants in the case by amending the prison sentence against them from three years to two years. It acquitted six others and ordered their immediate release if they were not prosecuted on other charges.
On Dec. 30, 2019, the court offered al-Khair’s family the opportunity to “forgive” the suspects, following a tradition based on Islamic law, or Sharia, which could have led to their pardon, but the offer was declined.
The death sentence constitutes a judicial precedent against members of the security service, who had been accused of committing grave human rights violations during Bashir’s rule. These included murder, torture and enforced disappearance.
Lawyer Khaled Sayed Ahmed explained that the Supreme Court verdicts are not subject to review, being the highest level of litigation. The ruling is then submitted to the presidency to sign the death sentences.
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the head of the Supreme Court, who is the chief justice, is allowed to form a team of five judges to review any verdict should it contradict with the provisions of Islamic law.
