Sudanese legislators seek to release November coup plotters ArticleComments (0) EmailPrintSave
April 3, 2013 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese legislators have engaged intensive efforts to convince president Omer Al-Bashir to order the release of detainees accused of fomenting a military coup against the regime last year. Salah Gosh, chief negotiator of the north’s National Congress Party and Presidential Adviser (Reuters) The move comes after a presidential call two days ago for a national dialogue, followed by a decree ordering to release political opponents arrested in January 2013 after the signing of a charter with rebel groups providing to topple the regime by all means including arms. Also the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) released this week two close aides of Salah Gosh, former head of the security apparatus who is accused of being involved with some radical officers in this coup, and detained since 22 November 2012. MP Ahmed Al-Fanglo, who leads the initiative, stated on Wednesday they have strong hope that president Omer Al-Bashir would respond positively to their request, adding the investigations with the detainees have already completed. He further said they are seeking to meet Bashir, stressing such measure would help to create a conducive environment for the national dialogue. The radical Sudanese army officers are arrested with Gosh were part of Mujahidin groups who fought against the former South Sudanese rebels. They were also among different groups within the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) that called for reforms and strict application of Islamic laws. MP Samiya Habani, during a session in the Sudanese parliament to discuss Bashir’s speech before the legislators on 1 April, warned that the exclusion of the coup plotters from this amnesty will discredit the state institutions. A leading NCP member Rabi Abdel Atti, told Sky News TV Arabic service that the alleged coup plotters are not part of this amnesty because they are accused of committing a crime. He went further to add that only the court can decide on their fate. Since last March special courts started the trial of the army officers allegedly planning a coup d’état but Gosh did not yet appear before the judge. Presidential assistant Nafie Ali Nafie last year told a number of journalist in a closed door briefing that Gosh had already tried twice to overthrow the regime and this time they are resolved to not pardon him. (ST) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
