Sudanese 'diplomats spying for agents that torture in Khartoum'
Sudanese officials have used information gathered by the regime's agents in Britain to interrogate and torture British-based opposition activists on their return to the homeland, MPs have alleged.
11:02AM GMT 09 Jan 2013
Badaoui Malik Badaoui, a Dafur refugee, was arrested at Khartoum airport in
July last year to face questions about his attendance at demonstrations at
Downing St and outside the Sudanese
embassy in St James in 2010.
Over a period of nine days in detention, he suffered daily beatings after
undergoing questions for shaming Darfur.
Another activist, who has applied for asylum, known only as Yassir said he was
also held last January just months after attending an even in the House of
Lords about Sudan descent in conflict in three restive provinces. He is
convinced that the security agents at Khartoum airport were acting on
intelligence gathered in London.
"I think there are some refugees that are not genuine but have been sent
here by the Mukhabarat (Sudan Security Services) to monitor the rest of us,"
he said. "They said they had sent me to London to make a human of me,"
he said. "They said 'you are a black slave, you will never be the
equivalent of an Arab. We sent you to the UK and you have come back
brainwashed against us."
"We believe there are government spies writhing the Sudanese community,"
said Kamal Kambal, an activist for the Nuba people, who are fighting for
greater autonomy from Khartoum. "They knew the whole story of that
meeting and used it against Yassir during his arrest."
Baroness Kinnock, the wife of the former Labour leader, said she had hosted an
event by the activist organisation Waging Peace. She said a report issued by
the organisation into the incident had established that there was
infiltration by Sudanese agents.
"It makes it clear that the Sudanese government is spying on Sudanese individuals in the UK and that this can result in their detention and torture when they return to Sudan. I was appalled to hear of the arrest, detention and torture of a Sudanese man because of his attendance at an event in Parliament which I chaired.
"The government must look again at the activities of the Sudanese intelligence agencies in this country and investigate the claims of torture by the Sudanese National Intelligence Services made by those who have been returned."
In response to questions from Gareth Thomas, a Labour MP, the Foreign Office said it was aware of the reports of torture and had complained to the Sudanese authorities. "We have frequently made clear, publicly and in private discussions with the Sudanese authorities, our concerns over the ill-treatment of detainees in Sudan," Mark Simmonds, a junior minister said.
However Mr Thomas said the government should act against Sudanese spying in the UK.
"If this sort of activity is taking place in the UK and the government has gathered evidence of representatives of the Sudanese government or Sudanese involved in monitoring the community on behalf of the government, the Foreign Office should be calling in the ambassador to explain these activities and a stand should be taken," Mr Thomas said.
In written questions to the Foreign Office, Mr Thomas has demanded that officials establish if Sudanese with British links have been tortured on return to Khartoum and report to parliament on how people may have been affected by the practice.
Sudanese interrogators have presented video and other surveillance evidence of opposition meetings in British citizens. One man, known only as A in the report, said he was presented with photos of himself at two separate meetings on the Edgware Road with opposition activists as proof of his political involvement.
Mohammad Nuradin spent more than three years in Sudanese prisons after returning from the country in 2004 after a three year spell in Europe, including a period in London. After escaping Sudan in 2009, he came back to Britain but the Manchester-based activist faces deportation after his asylumn claim was rejected.
"I am worried about going back. They already know that I have gone to protest – there are cameras on us at the embassy when we go on demonstrations, there are people spying in the rooms when we have meetings and they already know that I have escaped from the country," Mr Nuradin said. "I fear they will catch me at the airport."
Mr Nuradin said he ws beaten, sometimes by hand, sometimes with a metal pipe or rifle butt of a rifle. He suffered cigarette burns and was made to stand in the sun all day. At night cold water was thrown on him as he slept.
Activists said a government review of the official assessment of the risk of torture faced by Sudanese returned from the UK must reflect the new evidence.
"Many democracy campaigners from Sudan also face deportation back to a country that will torture and possibly kill them. The Home Office should recognise the risk they face, if deported, and defend their right to sanctuary," said Olivia Warham, a director of Waging Peace.
المصدر "It makes it clear that the Sudanese government is spying on Sudanese individuals in the UK and that this can result in their detention and torture when they return to Sudan. I was appalled to hear of the arrest, detention and torture of a Sudanese man because of his attendance at an event in Parliament which I chaired.
"The government must look again at the activities of the Sudanese intelligence agencies in this country and investigate the claims of torture by the Sudanese National Intelligence Services made by those who have been returned."
In response to questions from Gareth Thomas, a Labour MP, the Foreign Office said it was aware of the reports of torture and had complained to the Sudanese authorities. "We have frequently made clear, publicly and in private discussions with the Sudanese authorities, our concerns over the ill-treatment of detainees in Sudan," Mark Simmonds, a junior minister said.
However Mr Thomas said the government should act against Sudanese spying in the UK.
"If this sort of activity is taking place in the UK and the government has gathered evidence of representatives of the Sudanese government or Sudanese involved in monitoring the community on behalf of the government, the Foreign Office should be calling in the ambassador to explain these activities and a stand should be taken," Mr Thomas said.
In written questions to the Foreign Office, Mr Thomas has demanded that officials establish if Sudanese with British links have been tortured on return to Khartoum and report to parliament on how people may have been affected by the practice.
Sudanese interrogators have presented video and other surveillance evidence of opposition meetings in British citizens. One man, known only as A in the report, said he was presented with photos of himself at two separate meetings on the Edgware Road with opposition activists as proof of his political involvement.
Mohammad Nuradin spent more than three years in Sudanese prisons after returning from the country in 2004 after a three year spell in Europe, including a period in London. After escaping Sudan in 2009, he came back to Britain but the Manchester-based activist faces deportation after his asylumn claim was rejected.
"I am worried about going back. They already know that I have gone to protest – there are cameras on us at the embassy when we go on demonstrations, there are people spying in the rooms when we have meetings and they already know that I have escaped from the country," Mr Nuradin said. "I fear they will catch me at the airport."
Mr Nuradin said he ws beaten, sometimes by hand, sometimes with a metal pipe or rifle butt of a rifle. He suffered cigarette burns and was made to stand in the sun all day. At night cold water was thrown on him as he slept.
Activists said a government review of the official assessment of the risk of torture faced by Sudanese returned from the UK must reflect the new evidence.
"Many democracy campaigners from Sudan also face deportation back to a country that will torture and possibly kill them. The Home Office should recognise the risk they face, if deported, and defend their right to sanctuary," said Olivia Warham, a director of Waging Peace.
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