The Sudanese authorities’ claim of transferring him to hospital does not exempt it from responsibility
The Corona Pandemic poses an increasing threat to the lives of the Sudanese detainees
Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR UK) holds the Sudanese authorities responsible for the death of Major General Dr. Abdullah Ahmed Hassan Al-Bashir, who suffered serious medical neglect since his detention a year ago. He was denied release on medical grounds despite his deteriorating health condition and struggling with illness.
The deceased detainee Abdullah Al-Bashir was arrested a year ago on November 14, 2019 and detained in Kobar Prison in Khartoum where he was in good health. However, his health deteriorated significantly after detention. The prison authority response to his family’s requests to be transferred to hospital came very late in February 2020 and he was transferred to Al-Alya Hospital which confirmed his illness with cancer.
The family of the deceased detainee requested his transfer to a private hospital and paid for his treatment. However, two weeks ago he was infected with the Coronavirus and was transferred again to Al-Alya Hospital, where his condition deteriorated until he passed away on the morning of Saturday 28 November.
AOHR UK stated that the Sudanese authorities’ claim of transferring him to hospital does not exempt it from responsibility for his death. The authorities contributed directly to his death, especially since he has not been convicted yet arbitrary measurements were taken against him, including his detention without trial, delayed transfer to hospital, neglect of treatment doses and denial of his family’s request for his transfer outside Sudan for his treatment at their own expenses or releasing him on medical grounds.
AOHR UK warned of the increasing threats in the Sudanese detention facilities given the spread of Covid-19 pandemic and the health negligence detainees suffer from, despite human rights calls for their release, especially that most detainees are elderly and suffer illnesses that require medical attention which is lacking in prison and prison hospitals.
AOHR UK called on the international community to open investigations into the deaths in Sudanese prisons as a result of medical negligence, and to intervene immediately to save the lives of detainees who suffer from the arbitrary practices of the Sudanese government.
