Jalila Khamis -- call for action

Jalila Khamis

Jalila Khamis Koko , the primary school teacher and human rights activist from the Nuba Mountains who testified about the bombing of civilians and the humanitarian situation in the Nuba Mountains, remains in detention since 14 March 2012 when she was arrested from her house in Al-Shajara in Southern Khartoum in the middle of the night.

Mrs Jalila was detained in solitary confinement in a special section controlled by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) inside Omdurman Women's Prison for over two months. Then, after more than three months, in mid-August, she was informed that she would be released ,but was then transferred to the criminal section in the women's prison and told that she is "facing criminal charges".

Mrs Jalila was told that her trial is scheduled on 23 August, the NISS did not allow volunteer lawyers to represent Jalila Khamis by looking into her case to do their job and there was deliberate secrecy that hindered a fair trial as the place and the date of the court was not officially announced.

The activists and lawyers didn't know the location of the trial and dispersed to a few locations, however, the court never took place.

The court's officials revealed that the case file was not referred  to them. Even though there is a lot of media propaganda and threats to Mrs Jalila by NISS, she has yet to face charges in a formal way and this has deprived her from the right of release on bail and the right to a fair trial.

The NISS threatened Mrs Jalila that she would face the following charges:

-undermining the constitution
-co-operating with an enemy state
-illegal use of military uniform
- and unauthorized training
The maximum sentence is execution and the minimum is a two-year-long sentence, a fine and confiscation of all assets.
It is worth nothing that a few weeks ago,  officers from NISS showed Mrs. Jalila a piece of paper, stamped from the Judiciary apparatus, and it stated that " Jalila is to be transferred to Kober prison to carry out the sentence," in other words, she was threatened with execution and this subjects her to great psychological torture.
The trial never took place and this piece of paper disappeared later on.
Mrs Jalila's detention continues to be renewed by NISS and she continues to be at Omdurman Women's prison for the mere excuse of "awaiting trial" even though she has yet to face formal charges.
Her last renewed detention ended on 25 October and was not renewed and she was not released.
The detention of Mrs Jalila represents a threat to her physical and psychological well-being as well as a violation to her rights.
The family of Mrs Jalila are very worried about her well-being and her forced absence from her household is making her children, husband and blind father suffer on all levels.She was not allowed to be with them even during Eid.
We ask for her immediate release and we ask all civil society groups and political parties to protect her safety and ask for her release
On behalf of all activists, we ask everyone to pursue all kinds of pressures to release Mrs.Jalila and we appeal to the international community and all human rights organizations to demand the release of Mrs. Jalila