VZCZCXRO2440
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #1041 2531302
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 101302Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4400
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001041 
 
NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM SOCI SU
 
SUBJECT: DAFURI HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST ARRESTED 
 
REF: KHARTOUM 760 
 
¶1. (SBU) On September 2, poloff talked with Hamid Nur, a former U.S. 
Embassy locally-employed staff member in the political section, to 
discuss the detainment of a human rights activist.  Nur said the 
National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) arrested Abdel 
Majeed Saleh Abakr Haroun in Khartoum on August 30.  Haroun is a 
Darfuri human rights activist and leading member of the Darfur 
Democratic Forum.  (NOTE: Haroun is also a former grantee of the 
USAID Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI). END NOTE.) 
 
¶2. (SBU) According to Nur, NISS arrested Haroun and another 
unidentified Darfur Democratic Forum employee while they were on 
their way to meet with female Darfuri students who were beaten in 
June 2009 (reftel).  Nur said that the meeting was to follow up on 
the women's case against some elements of the security service in 
relation to the Darfuri women's accusation that NISS members beat 
and sexually harassed them in their dormitory at Khartoum University 
in June 2009 (reftel). 
 
¶3. (SBU) According to Nur, who confirmed the information with Darfur 
Democratic Forum members, Haroun remains in NISS custody.  He has 
not been charged or put on trial, and the location of his 
confinement is unknown.  Members of the Darfur Democratic Forum 
expressed fear for Haroun's health and life. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Comment: This appears to be yet another case of    the 
security services here arbitrarily detaining Sudanese citizens 
deemed "unfriendly" to the regime.  Darfur activists, and 
particularly those engaged in human rights work, are likely to be 
continue being security service targets.   End Comment 
 
WHITEHEAD