Khartoum Discusses With Cairo Extradition of Bashir’s Aides

Sudan’s former president Omar Hassan al-Bashir sits inside a cage at the courthouse where he was facing corruption charges, in Khartoum, Sudan September 28, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/File Photo
Sudan’s former president Omar Hassan al-Bashir sits inside a cage at the courthouse where he was facing corruption charges, in Khartoum, Sudan September 28, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/File Photo
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Khartoum Discusses With Cairo Extradition of Bashir’s Aides

Sudan’s former president Omar Hassan al-Bashir sits inside a cage at the courthouse where he was facing corruption charges, in Khartoum, Sudan September 28, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/File Photo
Sudan’s former president Omar Hassan al-Bashir sits inside a cage at the courthouse where he was facing corruption charges, in Khartoum, Sudan September 28, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/File Photo

Sudan’s Attorney General Mubarak Othman discussed with Egyptian Prosecutor General Hamada Al-Sawy the extradition of a number of aides to former Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, who had sought refuge in Egypt.

Informed sources in the Sudanese Public Prosecution told Asharq Al-Awsat that the most important figures demanded by Khartoum was the former Sudanese intelligence chief, Salah Abdullah, also known as Gosh, in addition to other members of the ousted regime, who had fled to Egypt after Bashir’s downfall in April 2019.

The Egyptian authorities had refused a request by the former Sudanese Attorney General, Taj Al-Sir Al-Haber, to extradite Gosh. Consequently, Khartoum began procedures for his extradition through Interpol in criminal reports pertaining to terrorism, financial corruption and torture of political detainees during the outbreak of popular protests in Sudan in 2018.

The sources noted that serious discussions took place between the Sudanese Public Prosecutor and his Egyptian counterpart, which resulted in a “major breakthrough.”

They added that the Egyptian side expressed its “full readiness” to discuss cooperation in handing over the wanted persons to the Sudanese authorities.

Othman’s visit to Cairo came at the invitation of his Egyptian counterpart, during which they signed several memoranda of understanding, including an agreement on training Sudanese prosecutors in the Egyptian criminal investigation institutes.

The sources reported that Othman returned to Khartoum with high optimism over cooperation with Egypt on the file of wanted persons, although Cairo did not issue an official confirmation in this regard.



Tunisia Hands Lengthy Prison Terms to Top Politicians and Former Security Officials

Leader of Tunisia's Ennahda party House Speaker Rached Ghannouchi, center, flashes a victory sign as he arrives for questioning at the judicial police headquarters in Tunis, Tunisia, April 1, 2022. (AP)
Leader of Tunisia's Ennahda party House Speaker Rached Ghannouchi, center, flashes a victory sign as he arrives for questioning at the judicial police headquarters in Tunis, Tunisia, April 1, 2022. (AP)
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Tunisia Hands Lengthy Prison Terms to Top Politicians and Former Security Officials

Leader of Tunisia's Ennahda party House Speaker Rached Ghannouchi, center, flashes a victory sign as he arrives for questioning at the judicial police headquarters in Tunis, Tunisia, April 1, 2022. (AP)
Leader of Tunisia's Ennahda party House Speaker Rached Ghannouchi, center, flashes a victory sign as he arrives for questioning at the judicial police headquarters in Tunis, Tunisia, April 1, 2022. (AP)

A Tunisian court on Tuesday handed jail terms of 12 to 35 years on high-profile politicians, including opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi and former security officials, a move that critics say underscores the president's use of the judiciary to cement “authoritarian rule”.

Among those sentenced on charges of conspiring against the state in the major mass trial, were Nadia Akacha, the former chief of staff to President Kais Saied, local radio Mosaique FM said. Akacha who fled abroad received 35 years.

Ghannouchi, 84, veteran head of the Islamist-leaning Ennahda party, was handed a 14-year term.

Ghannouchi who was the speaker of the elected parliament dissolved by Saied, has been in prison since 2023, receiving three sentences of a total of 27 years in separate cases in recent months.

A total of 21 were charged in the case, with 10 already in custody and 11 having fled the country.

The court sentenced former intelligence chief Kamel Guizani to 35 years, former Foreign Minister Rafik Abdessalem to 35 years, and Mouadh Ghannouchi, son of Rached Ghannouchi, to 35 years. All three have fled the country.

Saied dissolved the parliament in 2021 and began ruling by decree, then dissolved the independent Supreme Judicial Council and sacked dozens of judges, a move that opposition called a coup which undermined the nascent democracy that sparked in 2011 the so-called “Arab Spring” uprisings.

Saied rejects the accusations and says his steps are legal and aim to end years of chaos and corruption hidden within the political elite.

Most opposition leaders, some journalists, and critics of Saied have been imprisoned since he seized control of most powers in 2021.

This year, a court handed jail terms of 5 to 66 years to opposition leaders, businessmen and lawyers on charges of conspiring as well, a case the opposition says is fabricated in an attempt to stamp out opposition to the president.