The International Secretariat of OMCT has received information from
the Sudanese Victims of Torture Group (SVTG), a member of the OMCT
network, that on 24 January 2002, a sentence of amputation of the
right hand was executed on Anthony James Ladou Wani, a 46 year old
Christian belonging to the KaKwa tribe from Southern Sudan.

Anthony was accused of stealing spare car parts and was convicted of
theft under Article 171 of the 1991 Penal Code. The provision states
that whoever commits theft may be sentenced with amputation of the
right hand if the value of the stolen item is equal to or more than
the value of 4.25 grams of gold.

Anthony was sentenced to amputation of his right hand from the wrist
on 4 May 2000 and has been detained in Kober prison in Khartoum since
that date. He had no legal representation at his initial trial, as he
was unable to pay for it himself. It has been alleged that Anthony
did not receive a fair trial, that there was not enough evidence to
convict him and that the usual judicial procedures were not followed
properly. An appeal has been rejected by the highest court with
jurisdiction on this matter.

OMCT and SVTG are gravely concerned that the Government of Sudan has
once again resumed the punishment of amputation and that it is
beginning systematically to execute sentences of amputation given in
2000 and 2001. This punishment is against the Government of Sudan's
international obligations, with regards to Article 5 of The Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and Article 7 of The International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states in Article 5 that
'No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment.' The International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights states in Article 7: 'No one shall be
subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment.'

The use of amputation as a punishment is also prohibited under the
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment, which has also been ratified by Sudan. OMCT
recalls the concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee:
Sudan (1997) that 'By ratifying the Covenant [on Civil and Political
Rights], the State party has undertaken to comply with all its
articles; penalties which are inconsistent with articles 7 and 10
must be abolished.'

Action requested

Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:

i. immediately stop the inhuman practice of amputation and abolish
the use of amputation as a method of punishment, which is enacted
within the Sudanese Criminal Act 1991;
ii. commute all sentences of amputation;
iii. ensure access to legal representation and guarantee a right of
appeal for all individuals;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental
freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and
international human rights standards, and conform to all
recommendations made by the Human Rights Committee.

Addresses

His Excellency Lieutenant Omar Hassan al-Bashir, President of the
Republic of Sudan, People's Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax:
+ 24911 787676/783223.

Mr Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin, Minister of Justice and Attorney
General, Ministry of Justice, Khartoum, Sudan. Telegrams: Justice
Minister, Khartoum, Sudan

Mr Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: + 24911 779383.

Dr Ahmad al-Mufti, Advisory Council for Human Rights, PO Box 302,
Khartoum, Sudan.
Fax: + 24911 779173

The Diplomatic Representatives of Sudan in your country.

Geneva, 26 February 2001

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this
appeal in your reply.
Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture (OMCT)
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
Organización Mundial Contra la Tortura (OMCT)
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Suisse/Switzerland
Tel. : 0041 22 809 49 39
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E-mail : [email protected]
http://www.omct.org