Detained teacher tortured by SAF intelligence, teachers’ body says

DAMAZIN – The Sudanese Teachers’ Committee has accused country’s military intelligence in Damazin, capital of Blue Nile State, of torturing detained teacher Mohamed Babiker, who has been held incommunicado for months.

In a statement released on April 22, the committee expressed “deep concern and grave attention” over Babiker’s humanitarian and legal conditions. A member of the Omdurman Teachers’ Committee, Babiker was displaced from Omdurman during the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) military offensive.

Instead of finding refuge, he was arrested by military intelligence in Damazin, the statement said.

The committee alleges that Babiker has been subjected to physical and psychological torture, and was coerced into confessing before a judge in a local court. It described this as a violation of national laws and international human rights treaties.

The committee said the arrest was unlawful, noting that proper legal procedures were not followed. “Arrest and interrogation are the sole responsibility of the public prosecution,” the committee said. “Only the prosecution can ensure the suspect’s rights, including the right to legal counsel, family contact, and fair presentation of evidence.”

It emphasized that military or security bodies have no legal authority to arrest or interrogate civilians, and that all actions taken against Babiker are legally invalid and would undermine any future judicial proceedings.

Any trial, it said, would lack fairness and transparency and be illegitimate under Sudanese and international law.

The Teachers’ Committee condemned the alleged violations and held military intelligence fully responsible for Babiker’s well-being. It demanded his immediate and unconditional release, as well as access to medical care and rehabilitation.

The statement warned that such practices represent a dangerous precedent in Sudan.

“The continuation of these abuses marks a serious moral and legal collapse of the Sudanese judiciary, which we hold accountable for complicity through its silence and blatant bias toward the ruling authority instead of upholding rights and freedoms,” the statement read.

The case highlights growing concerns over arbitrary detentions, torture, and abuse of civilians by security and military forces in Sudan, particularly in areas under state control. Human rights defenders have repeatedly called for accountability and adherence to due process amid the ongoing civil war and political instability in Sudan, which began in April 2023.

As of now, there has been no official response from the Sudanese military or intelligence service regarding the allegations. Babiker’s family remains unable to visit or contact him, and his legal status remains unclear.

The Teachers’ Committee has vowed to continue advocating for his release and for broader reforms to end the unlawful targeting of educators and civil society members across the country.