Soudan : Declaration from Almidan Editorial Board.

Almidan is the working peoples Journal
Almidan is the capaigaining paper against violation of freedoms and human rights
Almidan is the journal of solidarity and cooperation

For sometime now Almidan is being exposed to police harrasment.Almidan, as an independent forum, was and remains to be among the most critical papers towards the policies of the present regime.Almidan in all its work is strictly observing the transitional constitution which protect the freedom of expression among other freedoms.Almidan is the organ of the SCP, a legal party in this country.These basic guidelines should form the basis for all sides including the government and its apparatuses, otherwise other means can foece themselves.

The umasked interventions by the security forces which targeted Almidan was unwarranted. These actions included, the confiscation of a number of issues after publication,which means double punishment,paying for printing and losing income for distribution,refusal to allow distribution of the paper, periodical detention of almidan workers, all of these measures were like an introduction to terrorise Almidan editors, and prevent it from shouldering its duty in making its contribution to our peoples struggle.
The coverage of the youth demos of Jan.30th have exposed the ugly face and repressive nature of the regime, and have made the security foces to take revenge.On the first of Feb , the security forces tried to arrest the chief editor of Almidan under the pretext that Almidan had published last Nov,an article which spread false information about exposing the link of cooperation between the CIA and the Sudanese security. Later after proving the information was taken verbatum from the CIA webcite, the charge was droped.

Last WEdnesday the 2nd of Feb, the security forces have arrested eight members of the editorial board. They are still in prison.One of them Com. Khalid Tawfig is said to be severly tortured. Five female workers are subject to daily interrogation from morning till late at night , thus preventing them from working.As such the security forces wants to force Almidan from publication.

 ! ;We strongly condenm all arbitrary detention including those of Almidan workers.We demand the immediate release of all colleagues under detention.

2:We call for the immediate halt of the daily interrogation of almidan workers.

3:We call all journalistts and their organisations inside and outside Sudan to work towards securing the immediate release of our colleagues.

4 : We call on all legal organisations, and those concerned with the struggle for freedoms and human rights to file legal charges against the security organs and those responsible for it for using unconstitutional measures including detention without trial, torrture ,physical and moral abuse.

5 : we call on legal organisations to help persecute here or abroad all those who involved in the torrure or physical or moral abuse of political prisons and detainees.

6 : Almidan editorial board would like to assure all,our friends here and adroad, especially Party members and our readers that despite all the difficulties we shall continue publishing the paper and continue the same combative line to help bring the democratic alternative and end the rule of political Islam by all democratic and legal means at the disposal of our people.

Almidan Editorial Board.

Khartoum 5th Feb 2011