Sudanese politicians detained in coup start hunger strike

Several Sudanese political figures arrested since a coup last month have started a hunger strike in protest at their continued detention, the coalition they were part of said on Friday.

An army takeover on Oct. 25 halted a power sharing deal between the military and civilians from the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) alliance, and a number of ministers and top civilian officials were detained.

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Some civilian figures have been released since the military struck a deal on Nov. 21 with Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, freeing him from house arrest and reinstating him. The deal provided for the release of all political detainees.

Those who have gone on hunger strike include deposed minister of cabinet affairs Khalid Omer Yousif, senior Sudanese Congress Party (SCP) official Sharif Mohamed Osman, and a third prominent political figure Jaafar Hassan, the SCP said in a statement.

“The step of the strike comes because of their continuous arbitrary detention since the Oct. 25 coup and the deprivation of their basic human rights,” the statement said.

Protests calling for the military to exit politics and be held to account for the deaths of civilian protesters have continued since the announcement of the deal between military leaders and Hamdok. A call has been issued for more mass rallies on Sunday.

Meanwhile five political figures including former trade minister Madani Abbas Madani and well known activist Mohamed Nagi al-Assam have been released, Madani told Reuters on Friday.

Another four prominent political figures including SCP leader Omer Eldigair and SPLM-N rebel group deputy head and former Hamdok advisor Yasir Arman were released on Monday.

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