Sudan: Human rights defender Hassan Ishaq on hunger strike in detention

On 15 September 2014, human rights defender Mr Hassan Ishaq declared that he has begun a hunger strike to protest the conditions of his detention. Hassan Ishaq has been detained since his arrest by Sudanese Security Forces on 10 June 2014 after reporting on a speech delivered by an opposition party in Al Nuhud city in West Kordofan. He is currently being held at Al-Nuhud prison.

Hassan Ishaq is a journalist and employee of Al Jareeda newspaper. He is a blogger and an activist in Grifina movement (“We are fed up”). He also reports on the impact of the policies and actions of the National Congress Party and National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) on human rights defenders and marginalised groups in Sudan

On 10 June 2014, Al Jareeda newspaper assigned Hassan Ishaq to cover the speech delivered by the head of the opposition party, the Sudanese Congress Party (SCP). The NISS detained Hassan Ishaq shortly after the speech was over under the 2010 National Security Act, which grants the NISS extensive powers to arrest and detain people up to four and a half months without judicial review. Under the Emergency Laws of West Kordofan, security forces are permitted to detain a person for up to six month without charges, subject to renewal.

Reportedly, Hassan Ishaq suffers from constant migraines and severe back pain as a result of a beating to his head, back and legs. Despite this, the human rights defender has been denied medical access. His lawyer wrote letters to the prison administration to take Hassan Ishaq's medical condition seriously and grant him access to medical care but he has yet to receive an answer.

Hassan Ishaq declared that he would begin a hunger strike to protest his ongoing detention and the poor medical provision in detention. He reportedly began his hunger strike on 15 September 2014.

Front Line Defenders is concerned at the ongoing detention of Hassan Ishaq and the poor medical provision in detention and believes that the Hassan Ishaq's detention is directly related to his work documenting human rights. Front Line Defenders is further concerned at the use of emergency laws to silence human rights defenders' legitimate and peaceful human rights activities.

Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Sudan to:

1. Immediately and unconditionally release Hassan Ishaq as it believed that he is being held solely as a result of his peaceful and legitimate work protecting and promoting human rights;
2. Ensure that the treatment of Hassan Ishaq, while in detention, adheres to the conditions set out in the “Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment”, adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 43/173 of 9 December 1988;
3. Provide the necessary medical treatment for Hassan Ishaq while in detention;
4. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Sudan are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.