Sudan – Pre-trial detention in Sudan is becoming extended and is bringing a lot of suffering to the Sudanese population.
A defendant is ‘innocent until proven guilty’ means that the authorities are the ones who have the burden of providing the proof and not the suspect.
The International Centre for Prison Studies (ICPS has produced statistics showing that the prison population in Africa totals 857,994 inmates; of these, 36.3 percent are in pre-trial detention.
Prisons in Sudan are overcrowded and this has serious health consequences as outbreaks are bound to occur.
Basically what it means is that pre- trial detainees are those who have not been convicted of crime, they are detained for long periods while police conduct their investigations.
Problems faced by pre – trial detainees is that they are not offered bail. Prosecutors and judges do not offer detainees bail although the Code of Criminal Procedure in Sudan allows detainees awaiting trial to receive bail.
Denying bail to pre- trial detainees is a violation against the international law.
Due to the fact that there are few qualified lawyers operating in Sudan it is difficult for detainees to engage a lawyer to defend them.
Another problem is lack of finance, the detainees do not have the ability to pay lawyers.
There are various organisations operating within Sudan who are trying to help Sudanese who are victims of unlawful pre- trial detention and these include the South Sudan Law Society (SSLS).
Examples of their work include the introduction of nine legal aid clinics in six states that offer free legal services.
Various Sudanese organisations need to play their part to address the problems with pre- trial detention. These include the courts, the police, public prosecutors who need to respect detainees until such a time when they may be proved guilty.
Comments
About Author
