| Submit your comments on this article |
| Africa Horn |
| Sudan releases Islamist opposition leader Turabi |
| 2010-07-02 |
| [Al Arabiya Latest] Sudanese authorities late on Wednesday released Islamist opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi one and a half months after arresting him and closing his party's mouthpiece newspaper. Surrounded by journalists and supporters in his house after he was set free, Turabi said the release was as groundless as the arrest. "There was no legality or procedure that was followed," he told Reuters Wednesday. Turabi, leader of the Popular Congress Party, was arrested mid-May when security officers took him from his home. A few hours later, the authorities closed his party's newspaper Rai al-Shaab (view of the people) and arrested its Editor-in-chief Abuzerr Ali al-Amin from his house. Amin was later charged with terrorism and espionage. Two other journalists from the paper, Ashraf Abdel Aziz and Dahab Ibrahim, were also arrested. Aziz and Ibrahim appeared in court afterwards but the judge banned reporting on the case. The arrests stirred the indignation of the opposition and party members staged protests demanding the release of Turabi, chanting anti-government slogans, and calling for bringing down the regime of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir. |
| Posted by:Fred |