Head of Bashir-era Sudanese ruling party starts hunger strike

KHARTOUM, Sudan

The head of Sudan’s ruling party during the era of former President Omar al-Bashir staged an open-ended hunger strike Thursday to protest his detention.

"My father, Ibrahim Ghandour, went on an open hunger strike to protest his detention for more than two years without trial, and after the judiciary refused to renew his detention," his daughter, Wafaa Ghandour, told Anadolu Agency.

Authorities re arrested Ghandour, the head of the dissolved Sudanese National Congress Party, hours after his release on Nov. 1.

In statements to Anadolu Agency after his release at the time, Ghandour demanded comprehensive reconciliation and dialogue to overcome the crisis in Sudan.

Families of political detainees announced Wednesday that 11 party leaders started open-ended hunger strikes for a second straight day to protest the renewal of their detentions.

Detainees in the Al-Huda prison decided to start the hunger strike, "to protest against the politicization of the justice services and the injustice inflicted on them, as they remained in prison for nearly two years, claiming to complete the investigations," according to a statement.

The army removed Bashir on April 11, 2019, after three decades in power, following popular protests condemning the deteriorating economic situation in the country.

Authorities have arrested dozens of top figures of the former regime, in addition to officers and civilians on charges of "attempting to overthrow the government."

* Writing by Mahmoud Barakat