Government defends political detentions

The ruling National Congress party has defended its recent measure of detaining former Speaker of Parliament Hasan al-Turabi, now leader of the opposition Popular National Congress (PNC), and party colleagues as normal and essential for the upholding of the security of the citizens, according to the Sudanese newspaper ‘Akhbar al-Yawm’ on Tuesday. Press statements by Professor Ibrahim Ahmad Umar, Secretary-General of the National Congress, said that the measures were necessary because of claims by the PNC that it was its sacred duty to try to overthrow the government, the report said. Ibrahim said the government could not stand idly by in the face of such developments, and denied reports to the effect that the security arms of the state were evaluating political information and acting in the light of it without consulting the government, the report added.