The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented the referral of Sudanese human rights lawyer Montaser Abdullah to trial after being arbitrarily detained for over eight months and charged with offenses that carry penalties of up to life imprisonment.
Abdullah’s legal defense team reported that he was brought before a court in Port Sudan after enduring more than eight months of arbitrary detention, during which he was subjected to physical and psychological torture. He was charged with offenses carrying sentences of up to life imprisonment.
Abdullah was arrested in September 2024 while performing his professional duties as a lawyer defending 16 civilian leaders from the Democratic Civil Forces Coordination “Tagadum,” including former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who are accused of collaborating with the Rapid Support Forces. The arrest and charges have been widely condemned as arbitrary and lacking guarantees of a fair trial.
For its part, the CFJ rejects the referral of lawyer Montaser Abdullah to trial under current conditions that fail to meet the minimum standards of justice. The committee calls for his immediate release, and in case his trial continues, emphasizes the necessity of it taking place before an independent and impartial court that meets internationally recognized standards of fair trial.
