Bushra Gamar Hussein

Cases

Relevant SG report

From Country

Country Geolocation

Latitude: 12.862807

Longitude: 30.217636

From Region

Individual's/organization's activity: Mr. Hussein is from Southern Kordofan and a member of the Nuba ethnic group. He is the founder and chair of the Human Rights and Development Organisation, a non- governmental human rights organization which also provides humanitarian assistance to people of Nuba ethnic origin in Southern Kordofan. Mr. Hussein had travelled to Khartoum on an official mission calling for humanitarian assistance for displaced people in Southern Kordofan.

Type of rights defended

Was the victim a civil servant, member of the security forces or of the judiciary?: No

Reported trigger of reprisal: Mr. Hussein had travelled to Khartoum on an official mission calling for humanitarian assistance for displaced people in Southern Kordofan.

Engagement with UN body

Type of attempted engagement

Dates of mentioned reprisals: 26 June 2011; 13 July 2011; 14 August 2011; until June 2012

Reprisal information: On 26 June 2011, Bushra Gamar Hussein was reportedly arrested at the home of a relative in the Al-Thawra district of Omdurman in Khartoum by the National Intelligence and Security Service for allegedly “working with international organizations hostile to Sudan,” a crime under articles 50, 51, 53, 63, 64, 65 and 66 of the Sudanese Penal Code.

Reportedly, on 13 July 2011, the Attorney General ordered that Mr. Hussein be transferred to Kobar General Prison in Khartoum. It is alleged that the investigating authorities failed to establish evidence to substantiate the allegations against Mr. Hussein and that on 14 August, a judge ordered his release. Notwithstanding the judicial order in favour of Mr. Hussein, national security service agents allegedly re-arrested him when he left the courthouse

While in the custody of the National Intelligence and Security Service, Mr. Hussein was placed in incommunicado detention where he was reportedly beaten until he went into a coma. He reportedly received death threats, was called a “slave” due to his Nuba ethnic origin and was forced to stand for long hours during interrogation by NISS officers. While in detention, his health reportedly deteriorated and on 22 May 2012, Mr. Hussein was taken to the General Police Hospital in Khartoum. On 19 June 2012, he declared a hunger strike in protest against his arbitrary detention. On 27 June 2012, Mr. Hussein was reportedly released on bail.

Types of reprisals suffered

Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?: No

Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?: No

Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?: No

Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?: No

Follow up information provided in SG report 0

The case of Bushra Gamar Hussein, chairperson of the Human Rights and Development Organisation, was included in my previous report, where it was alleged that he had been arrested and tortured in connection with his work in defence of human rights.33In a letter dated 3 July 2012, the Government of the Sudan declared that the Attorney General had decided to close the case of Mr. Hussein owing to “insufficiency of the evidence”.34