HUDO Centre Date: 31st August 2024 No.: H.K/PS/17/024 UPDATE (2) ON THE ARREST OF ABDELHAKAM BY SAF IN DAMAZIN, SUDAN On 14th August 2024, Mr. Abdelhakam Yousif was re-arrested by SAF after completing the three (3) months prison sentence under the ‘emergency law’ at Roseries prison. This time the security committee accused him of waging a war against the state. On 4th April 2024, Mr. Abdelhakam Yousif was arrested by a group of Sudan Armed Force/ Military Intelligence (SAF/MI) from his office at the Ministry of Finance in Damazin town. He was arrested soon after his arrival from Asosa town of Ethiopia where he had gone for a visit. He was taken to SAF premises in Damazin where his phones were confiscated, interrogated and detained. On 9th April 2024, he was transferred to Police and a case was filed against him under articles 21, 51 and 55 of Sudan Criminal Penal 1991. Thereafter, he was released on bail but his phones which were confiscated by SAF/MI were not given back to him. According to the interrogation, they concluded that Mr. Abdelhakam Yousif had briefly met with an officer of Sudan People Liberation Army – North (Elhelo’s faction) during his visit to Asosa Ethiopia. On 21st April 2024, Mr. Abdelhakam was arrested again by SAF/ MI. On 25th April 2024, Mr. Abdelhakam was sentenced to three months in prison by the security committee basing on the emergency law. He was transported to Roseries prison where he was jailed. On 24th July 2024, Mr. Abdelhakam was released after serving his sentence in prison. On 14th August 2024, Mr. Abdelhakam was arrested for the third time by SAF and sent back to Roseries prison. He is now accused (charges) of waging war against state. An activist from Blue Nile said that; I believe the arrest of Mr. Abdelhakam shortly after three (3) weeks of his release from the jail sentence is related to the current war situation whereby, SPLA-N (Elhelo) started military operations within Blue Nile and Mr. Abdelhakam has been considered by the security committee as SPLA-N collaborator.