The Sudanese Alliance for Rights condemns in the strongest terms the arbitrary arrest and enforced disappearance of Mohamed Ezz El-Din, a respected lawyer and human rights defender, by the Sudanese Armed Forces Intelligence in Port Sudan, Red Sea State, on 10 May 2025.
Mr. El-Din had travelled to Port Sudan to assist with his parents’ medical care. Despite having no connection to the ongoing conflict or any armed groups, he was arrested without due process and taken to an undisclosed location. His family and legal representatives have been denied any contact with him, raising serious concerns that he may be subjected to torture or other forms of ill-treatment.
Enforced disappearance has become a deeply troubling pattern in Sudan, particularly since the escalation of conflict in 2023. Victims are often taken by state or affiliated security forces without warrants or legal justification and held incommunicado in unknown locations. Families are left in anguish, unable to access any information about their loved ones’ whereabouts, condition, or legal status. This practice violates fundamental human rights and strips individuals of legal protections, exposing them to torture, ill-treatment, or extrajudicial execution. In Sudan, enforced disappearances are increasingly being used as a tool to silence dissent, intimidate human rights defenders, and suppress legal accountability. The lack of transparency, judicial oversight, and political will to investigate and prosecute these cases has contributed to a climate of impunity, with devastating impacts on civil society and the rule of law.
This unlawful detention is a violation of both national and international legal standards, including:
- Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), guaranteeing the right to liberty and access to legal counsel;
- The Convention Against Torture, which prohibits torture in all circumstances;
- The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which Sudan is obligated to uphold.
The Sudanese Alliance for Rights views this act as part of a broader campaign to intimidate and silence lawyers and human rights defenders across Sudan. Targeting individuals for their peaceful advocacy undermines the rule of law and civic space.
We urgently call for:
- The immediate and unconditional release of Mohamed Ezz El-Din;
- Full disclosure of his whereabouts and condition;
- An independent investigation into the circumstances of his detention;
- Accountability for all those involved in this grave violation.
The government of Sudan must end the harassment of human rights defenders and legal professionals and comply with its obligations under domestic and international law.
Sudanese Alliance for Rights
14 May 2025
