HUDO Centre Date: 2nd May 2024 No.: H.K/PS/08/024 UPDATE ON THE ARREST OF ABDELHAKAM BY SAF IN DAMAZIN, SUDAN On 25th April 2024, the security committee in Blue Nile State sentenced Mr. Abdelhakam Yousif to three (3) months in prison based on the emergency law. He was subsequently taken to Roseries prison. This happened after the repeated arrests by SAF while accusing him of communicating with SPLA-N (Elhelo’s faction). On 4th April 2024 (correction: not 8th as earlier stated in the UA), 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 is currently imprisoned in bad conditions. HUDO Centre is concerned about the safety of civilians in Sudan during this difficult period of fighting between SAF and RSF and calls for the following:  The Blue Nile State governor (head of security committee) to immediately stop incarceration orders and release Mr. Abdelhakam Yousif since there is no legal case against him.  The head of the security committee in Blue Nile State to revoke the security law that is violating the citizen rights.  The Sudanese Armed Forces to stop the arrest of civilians. End: For more information, please write to hudo2009@gmail.com