A/HRC/42/63 4. Darfur 48. The Independent Expert received reports that about 23 Darfuri university students had been arrested on 23 December 2018 by the National Intelligence and Security Services in the city of Sinar and transferred to Khartoum. They were reportedly accused by the National Intelligence and Security Services of having been recruited by the Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid, and trained by Israeli forces to spread chaos in the country. Footage of the students describing their involvement was broadcast on the Sudan TV network. 49. Reports also indicated that four lawyers had been arrested by the National Intelligence and Security services in Nyala on 9 January as they were on their way to the office of the Governor of South Darfur to reportedly submit a petition against the Government alleging excessive responses to protests. Additionally, about 40 lawyers and political activists were arrested in Nyala on 12 January, allegedly for their participation in a sit-in in which protesters called for the resignation of President al-Bashir. 5. Government response 50. On 29 January, the Director of the National Intelligence and Security Services ordered the release of all those who had been detained in anti-Government protests up to that point. The Independent Expert received reports, however, that about 100 detainees had been released up to the end of January, and that a number of opposition leaders, political activists, civil society members, doctors and university professors continued to be detained thereafter. More arrests were carried out in later weeks and months. 51. Starting from the end of February, the Government established emergency courts in Khartoum to prosecute individuals associated with protests. Reports suggested that hundreds of people had been tried before the emergency courts in the period from 28 February to the end of March. The sentences handed down ranged from seven days’ imprisonment and a fine up to a maximum of five years’ imprisonment. Civil society groups expressed serious concerns about the fairness and due process of the trials and the lack of rights to legal representation for defendants. 52. Credible reports indicated that many opposition leaders had been released in March, including the leader of the Sudanese Congress Party and four opposition leaders from the Communist Party and the Baath Arab Socialist Party after months of arbitrary detention in connection with the nationwide protests. About 54 detainees, including 36 women, were released by mid-March, according to a statement issued by the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies on 19 March. 14 6. Following the removal of President al-Bashir 53. Immediately following the removal of President al-Bashir, credible reports confirmed the release of hundreds of protesters and political detainees from detention facilities across the country. However, the release of dozens of Darfuri detainees, including the 23 Darfuri university students arrested in Sinar, was delayed for a few weeks. 54. A significant wave of arrests was carried out by the National Intelligence and Security Services and the Rapid Support Forces as part of the joint security action of 3 June (see para. 40 above). Three leaders of the North Agar faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, including the deputy Chair of the faction, Yasir Arman, were reportedly deported to South Sudan on 10 June after a brief time in detention. Civil society groups raised concern about the reports of hundreds of missing people following the joint security action. 55. The Deputy Chair of the Transitional Military Council, Lieutenant General Dagalo, announced on 24 June the release of all detainees associated with armed movements as a goodwill gesture, which was met with positive reactions from the Sudanese Revolutionary 14 See www.acjps.org/sudan-niss-releases-fifty-four-detainees-as-seventeen-peaceful-protesters-joinhundreds-who-remain-in-detention/. 11