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:CH:: . AC H P R African Commission on Human Rights our • Human and Peoples' Bights Collective Responsibility the right to a fair trial encompasses the actual trial proceedings and the pre trial phase, which includes the prompt presentation of the accused before a court. 179. Therefore, the prolonged period of detention without being brought before a court signifies a failure on the part of the Respondent State to fulfill its obligation of ensuring a timely trial. This failure violates the right to a fair trial as enshrined in Article 7(1)(d) of the African Charter. Alleged violation of Article 14 of the Charter (Right to Property) 1 80. Article 14 provides that: The properhJ right shall be guaranteed. It may only be encroached upon in the interest of public need or in the general interest of the communih; and in accordance with the provisions of appropriate laws. 1 81. According to the principles outlined in Article 14 of the African Charter, individuals have a rightful expectation to own and enjoy their property without arbitrary interference. The principle of non-arbitrariness provides that any search, seizure, or deprivation of property must be grounded in lawful reasons, serve the interest of the community, be reasonably justified, and adhere to due process. Actions that are arbitrary and lack legal basis or proper justification would consequently violate Article 14 of the African Charter. 182. In the case of Sudanese Civilians in South Kordofan and Blue Nile (represented by Sudan Democracy First Group, REDRESS, Human Rights Watch, INTERIGHTS, and Enough Project) v Sudan, the Commission emphasized the importance of Article 14 of the African Charter. The Commission specifically stated that this article guarantees the right to property and peaceful enjoyment of property and prohibits arbitrary deprivation of property. 56 As per the Complainant, his belongings, including clothing, standard 183. electronics, and books, were searched and seized by customs officials upon entering Sudan. However, certain items were not returned, and others were handed back in a damaged condition. The Complainant argues that no evidence was provided to justify the search and seizure of his prope!��mk grounds of public need or community interest. Moreover, the '° "'o � .., '?'d ,,.,.............., asserts that the subsequent destruction of the confiscated proper -"wit . 1 c�· ,.. � (� -\J, IU . ,0 ,! � · ,� )' 56 Communication 402/11 - 420/12: Sudanese Civilians in South Kordofan and Blue Nile (represente(Sud� effiqcra.� First Group, REDRESS, Human Rights Watch, INTERIGHTS and Enough Project) v Sudan, para 1 75 ' \ \ \\ ··�� .\.IA 42 A.It Otgan or the Afriqan f(4t:')1 Union "-;,,)2 -� "'<1' t :i. el .'•!,�_./,,..;-' "'"' ' 41 ,,(1(. , ..\, \, -v" '"' African Commissio;;.:o:ci '.f!t.rnfl� jl�<Pl! ' Rights orth District, 31 Bijilo Annex L�-. West Coast Region, The Gambia Phone: (220) 230 4361 Fax: (220) 441 05 04 Email: au-banjul@africa-union.org https:/achpr.au.int/0 0 a

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Communication 476/14 - Magdy Moustafa El- Baghdady v. Sudan

ACHPR Decision

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Type of Document

Decision

Keywords

Arbitrary Arrest and Detention
Coercion / Duress
Cruel and Degrading Treatment
Damages and Compensation
Detention Facilities/Conditions
Freedom from Discrimination
Personal Liberty
Right to be Heard before a Competent Court
Right to Fair Trial
Right to Health
Right to Property
Torture and Ill Treatment

Case Head Notes: The Complainant, a British citizen, traveled from Egypt to Sudan to invest in a restaurant business, and also with the hope of venturing into a telecommunications business. Accordingly, the complainant and his friend took telecommunications equipment to Sudan, which they declared to the customs officers. In February 2011 his apartment was raided by National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), he was accused of being a British/Israeli spy, and he was hand and foot cuffed, blindfolded and taken to an unknown location. The Complainant was interogated in Arabic even though he only speaks English and Polish, his hair was removed and, after being transfered to Kober Prison, he and his friend were severely beaten, injected with a sedative-like substance and subjected to humiliation and insults. The Complainant was denied medical attention. Shortly after being transfered to Kober Prison the Complainant, his friend, and other prisoners were subjected to a mock execution where officers placed guns at the back of their head and, upon the call of a high-ranking officer, cocked their guns as if to shoot. The Complainant stated that he and his friend were also forced to sign documents at gunpoint, which stated that they would not mention what happened at the prison. During the total of 78 days of incommunicado detention, at Kober Prison and a couple of other facilities, the Complainant suffered severe physical and psychological harm, losing approximately 37 kg of his original weight. The Complainant was found guilty, and ordered to either pay a fine of 5000 Sudanese Pounds, or return to Omdurman Prison for six months. One of the Complainant's relatives paid the fine, and the Complainant was released. The Complainant stated that he could not raise a complaint about his treatment while in Sudan as he faced threats of re-arrest and imprisonment. The Commission found a violation of Article 2 stating that the Complainant faced allegations of being a British, or Israeli spy, solely on the basis of his part-Polish heritage, with no substantial evidence to substantiate these claims. They also noted the deregatory language aimed at the Complainant's ethnic heritage, and stated that, the treatment of the Complainant, grounded in ethnic stereotypes rather than factual evidence, exemplied a discriminatory practice. The Commission found a violation of Article 5, and stated that both the incommunicado detention of the Complainant and the physical attacks against the Complainant amounted to torture. Noting that even if arrests are deemed lawful under domestic legislation, they can still be regarded as arbitrary, and thus unlawful if they are inappropriate, unreasonable, unjustified, or unpredictable, the Commission found a violation of Article 6 and stated that the absence of any prima facie evidence, or reasonable suspicion, to justify the prolonged detention of the Complainant further undermined the legitimacy of his arrest and confinement. The Commission also noted that the lack of transparency and legal justification for his continued deprivation of liberty raises questions about the adherence to fundamental principles of justice and the rule of law. The Commission found a violation of Article 7 stating that denying the Complainant access to a lawyer and court hearing, during the victim's detention, constituted a clear violation of Article 7, and that, additionally, the Complainant's prolonged detention, without being brought before a Court, signified the Respondent State's failure to ensure its obligation of ensuring a timely trial. The Commission found a violation of Article 14 stating that, not only was the search of the Complainant's belongings arbitrary, but some of the belongings of the Complainant were either not returned, or returned in a damaged condition. The Commission affirmed that this violated the Complainant's right to peacefully enjoy his property and, also, to be compensated for the damage or confiscation of his property. The Commission also stated that no information indicated that the interference with the Complainant's right to property was proportionate to a reasonable objective the Respondent State may have hoped to achieve. Noting that the Respondent State has a responsibility to ensure that prisoners have access to appropriate healthcare and essential services, the Commission found a violation of Article 16 and stated that the torture inflicted on the Complainant had a profound and detrimental impact on his pysical and psychological well-being, and that the failure to provide the Complainant with necessary healthcare further exacerbated the situation. The Commission found a violation of Article 1, as they stated that any violation of any provision in the Charter inherently constitutes a violation of Article 1 as well. The Commission declared that the Respondent State must promptly investigate and prosecute the individuals responsible for the Complainant's ordeal, that the Respondent State must assess and determine the appropriate compensation to address the harm suffered, that the Respondent State must undertake institutional reforms to ensure that individuals alleging torture can effectively pursue complaints, that the Respondent State should improve detention conditions, that the Respondent State should consider specific amendments to the National Security Act of Sudan, and that the Respondent State should report to the Commission on the measures taken to implement the decision.

Country

Sudan

Outcome: Decided on Merits

Year Decided: Aug 2, 2024

Rights Alleged to be Violated (ACHPR Provisions)

ACHPR 7: Right to Fair Trial
ACHPR 1: General Obligations
ACHPR 14: Right to Property
ACHPR 16: Right to Health
ACHPR 2: Freedom from Discrimination
ACHPR 5: Cruel Inhuman and Degrading Treatment
ACHPR 6 : Right to Personal Liberty and Protection from Arbitrary Arrest

Rights Violated (ACHPR Provisions)

ACHPR 7: Right to Fair Trial
ACHPR 1: General Obligations
ACHPR 14: Right to Property
ACHPR 16: Right to Health
ACHPR 2: Freedom from Discrimination
ACHPR 5: Cruel Inhuman and Degrading Treatment
ACHPR 6 : Right to Personal Liberty and Protection from Arbitrary Arrest

Duration of Procedure

Oct 25, 2013 ~ Aug 2, 2024

Country Geolocation

Latitude: 12.862807

Longitude: 30.217636

Country Geolocation (linked ACHPR Decision): Sudan

Primary Documents

Magdy Moustafa El-Baghdady v Sudan.pdf
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African Human Rights CLA 2.0

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Communication 476/14 - Magdy Moustafa El- Baghdady v. Sudan

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