Sudan opposition leader jailed for protest, several others detained

KHARTOUM: A Sudanese emergency court Sunday sentenced an opposition leader to a week in jail, as police detained several people intent on marching on parliament to protest a state of emergency.

Mariam al-Mahdi said she will spend a total of three weeks in jail after refusing to pay a fine of 2,000 Sudanese pounds (US$42).

Deputy chief of the opposition Umma Party, led by her father and former premier Sadiq al-Mahdi, she and her sister Rabah were among those arrested earlier on Sunday.

Protest organisers had called for a march to challenge the state of emergency, imposed nationwide by President Omar al-Bashir on February 22.

Bashir’s move came after a crackdown on rallies against his iron-fisted rule failed to deter demonstrators.

The president has ordered a slew of tough measures to quell the protests, including banning all unauthorised rallies and setting up the emergency courts to probe offences.

Sunday’s procession was to start at the Umma Party offices in the capital’s twin city of Omdurman.

“As some of our leaders came out of the party office to lead the march, security agents arrested them,” said Mohamed al-Mahdi, a party leader who is not related to the former premier’s family.

Riot police fired tear gas at those who had gathered outside the party offices, witnesses said, prompting the crowd to disperse before the march could begin.

“Protesters have now launched demonstrations in some areas of Omdurman. Many of them have been arrested,” one onlooker said. — AFP