Sudan to free political prisoners, lifts party restrictions

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir said during a three-hour televised meeting with 150 representatives of political parties and groups that some political prisoners would be released.

He said on Sunday night in Khartoum during an interactive live broadcast session with politicians, the second of such gathering since January, that all political parties would be active without restrictions.

Al-Bashir said he had given orders to release all political prisoners who did not commit criminal offences.

He added that he had also ordered local authorities to allow political parties to exercise their activities inside and outside their headquarters without any restrictions.

Some of the suggestions from other parties during the session included formation of a transitional government, more freedoms, and the need to negotiate with rebels and other parties who refused to sit down at the table.

A source said, “The number to be released is likely to be quite small, perhaps fewer than 10, because in 2013, al-Bashir just set free a handful of such prisoners.”

It said the meeting was a far departure from that one held in January because then, it was only al-Bashir that spoke and it lasted only one hour, but at the last meeting, others were allowed to speak and lasted longer.

Those at the meeting included former Sudanese Prime Minister al-Sadiq al-Mahdi, who was ousted in a 1989 military coup led by al-Bashir; Hassan al-Turabi, leader, Islamist opposition, the Popular Congress Party.

Another source said Al-Bashir, who was wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity, was under added international pressure to resolve a number of festering conflicts inside and in the border areas of Sudan, including that in Darfur.

It said the Sudanese leader had, however, pledged to give the armed movements – including rebels in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile districts, the guarantees necessary for their participation in dialogue in Sudan and return to their bases.

Observers are of the opinion that with elections scheduled for 2015, the large meeting with opposition groups can signal an opening to more negotiation given the political crisis, festering conflicts and economic deterioration within Sudan.

Source: (NAN)