Mr Faisal Mohamed Salih

Prominent journalist and human rights defender Mr Faisal Mohamed Salih was released during the night of 9 May 2012, after being arrested and detained at his home on 8 May by the NISS.

On 15 May 2012, Faisal Mohamed Salih was rearrested and detained again. He was held by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) until approximately 5.30pm and interrogated for failing to respond to a summons issued to him to report to the NISS. He was charged under Article 94 of the Penal Code and released on bail. Faisal Mohamed Salih is the Director of Taiba Press and a columnist at Al Akhbar newspaper.

On 13 May 2012, Faisal Mohamed Salih attended a court hearing in Khartoum accompanied by his lawyer to face charges including "malicious falsehood" and "defamation" of the NISS. These were brought against him under Articles 66 and 156 of the Penal Code in relation to an article he had published in Al Akhbar newspaper calling for an independent investigation of the incidents of torture and rape of activist Ms Safia Ishaq Mohamed by the NISS. Faisal Mohamed Salih attended a court hearing on 13 May 2012 accompanied by his lawyer. This hearing was adjourned until 11 June 2012.

Front Line Defenders is concerned about the arrest and detention of Faisal Mohamed Salih on 8 and 15 May 2012, and sees these actions as part of an ongoing campaign of judicial harassment and intimidation against the human rights defender.

Front Line Defenders calls for all charges against Faisal Mohamed Salih to be immediately and unconditionally dropped, as it believes that they are solely motivated by Faisal Mohamed Salih's peaceful and legitimate human rights work in Sudan.

For more information, see Front Line Defenders' recent update on this case dated 9 May 2012: http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/18273.

You can find additional information on the situation for human rights Defenders in Sudan. HERE