Detained Sudan politician needs doctor - Amnesty

KHARTOUM, Aug 12 (Reuters) Human rights activists have called on Sudanese authorities to allow a detained opposition politician to see his doctor.

Mubarak al-Fadil, head of the opposition Umma Party for Renewal and Reform, is one of 25 detained and accused of plotting to overthrow the government. He has been held for almost a month without medical care, Amnesty said.

''Amnesty International is calling for Mubarak al-Fadil al-Mahdi to have access to medical care while in detention, including access to his own doctor as provided for in international standards,'' it said in a statement seen by Reuters today.

''If not promptly charged with a recognisable criminal offence, he should be released to seek the medical investigation and treatment he requires.'' Al-Fadil needs medication for high cholesterol and had been due to seek medical attention in London in July for ''a number of related gastro-oesophageal problems'', Amnesty said.

Justice Minister Mohamed Ali al-Mardi confirmed today to Reuters reports by a Sudanese paper that 25 people were being held on charges including ''calling for resistance (to) the power structure through use of violence or criminal force, inciting war against the state and destruction of the constitutional system''.

Sudanese officials said 44 people were originally detained for alleged participation in the plot.

Mardi declined to say whether prisoners had been deprived of medical care or would be given it.

''I wouldn't say even if I knew,'' he told Reuters.

Mardi also declined to say whether al-Fadil, or other opposition politicians detained including Ali Mahmoud Hassanein from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), were among the 25.

Party officials from al-Fadil's party and the DUP said the two men were still being held and the DUP said it was gathering support for Hassanein's defence.

''We are going to approach our colleagues from the other parties to make a group to defend them,'' said DUP spokesman Taj el-Sir Mohamed Salih, adding that the party would request an audience with the justice minister tomorrow.

Mardi had previously banned all reporting on the arrests, a move that lawyers said was not authorised by Sudanese law.

Sima Samar, the U N special rapporteur for human rights in Sudan, said this month she was concerned at the arrests of opposition politicians and urged more transparency from the government on the affair.

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