The Sudanese Teachers’ Committee has condemned the arrest of a teacher, Ali Al-Zubair, by the security cell in Sudan’s North Kordofan State, and called for his immediate and unconditional release.
The committee has demanded that authorities disclose the reason for his detention and his whereabouts.
A press statement issued on 13 September said Al-Zubair was arrested at his home last Wednesday and taken to the offices of the state’s security cell. It described his detention as a violation of human rights and freedom of expression, as well as the right to demand workers’ rights.
The committee said information it received indicated that Al-Zubair’s arrest may be linked to his activities and advocacy for teachers’ rights, particularly demands for the payment of outstanding dues and implementation of decisions and directives aimed at improving their conditions of service. It accused the authorities of delaying the implementation of these entitlements.
Sami Al-Baqir, spokesperson for the Sudanese Teachers’ Committee, warned against using detention as a means of silencing teachers’ demands. He called on the authorities to address teachers’ grievances and respond to their demands rather than resorting to arrests.
“The detention of teachers demanding their rights will not help resolve the crisis,” said Al-Baqir while stressing that addressing salaries and outstanding payments and implementing decisions related to conditions of service were the appropriate means of tackling the dispute.
He held the security authorities in North Kordofan State fully responsible for the safety of Ali Al-Zubair and called for his whereabouts to be disclosed and for his immediate and unconditional release.
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