The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented the arrest of Dr. Atiya Abdallah Atiya, a Public Health Specialist and Secretary-General of the Preparatory Committee of the Sudan Doctors’ Union, by military intelligence affiliated with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Al Qadarif State during the second half of August 2026.
According to a statement issued by the Preparatory Committee of the Sudan Doctors’ Union, Dr. Atiya was arrested while participating in a routine survey of kala-azar (visceral leishmaniasis) cases in Al Qadarif State, conducted in cooperation with the Regional Institute of Endemic Diseases at the University of Al Qadarif.
According to information documented by CFJ, security authorities in Al Qadarif State have imposed restrictions on humanitarian and civil society actors, particularly those involved in providing services or advocating for the rights of citizens. A human rights defender from Al Qadarif reportedly stated that security authorities in eastern Sudan have been targeting individuals and groups critical of local authorities through harassment, detention, and what were described as retaliatory legal complaints.
The Committee for Justice calls on the Sudanese authorities to disclose the reasons for the detention of Dr. Atiya Abdallah Atiya and to release him immediately unless he is charged with a recognizable criminal offense and afforded all guarantees of a fair trial.
CFJ further stresses the need to ensure that medical and humanitarian workers are not targeted because of their professional or civic activities, and that they are able to carry out their duties without intimidation, arbitrary detention, or interference.