Date Type Case No Country Mandate(s) Summary of the allegation transmitted Arbitrary detention; Freedom of expression; Human rights defenders; Independence of judges and lawyers; Sudan; Summary executions; Torture; Alleged negative consequences of amendments to the Legislation on the Armed Forces of 2007 on the right to fair trial and due process, freedom of expression, the rights to liberty and security, the right to be free from torture and ill-treatment, and the right to life. According to the information received, an amendment to Sudan’s Armed Forces Law of 2007 was adopted on 2 July 2013 by the Parliament. The amendment reportedly stipulates that every person – irrespective of their military status or connection with Sudan’s armed forces – who commits or is suspected of committing any act undermining the security of the State is subject to the jurisdiction of Sudan’s military courts, thereby subjecting civilians to the jurisdiction of military courts in relation to a large number of vaguely worded offences. The amendment is said to have been enacted in a context of concerns over serious human rights violations in the country, including the prosecution of journalists, political opponents, human rights defenders and others for their peaceful activities. USA 12/2013 Independence of 15/08/2013 United States of judges and JAL America lawyers; Terrorism; Torture; Alleged torture during interrogation to coerce a confession used to incriminate and substantiate a conviction for participating in terrorist activities in Saudi Arabia; alleged prolonged solitary confinement. According to the information received, on 11 June 2003, Mr Ahmed Abu Ali was arrested in Medina, Saudi Arabia upon the request of the United States, beaten and whipped in prison until he confessed to being a member of an Al-Qaeda cell. He was transferred to Riyadh where he was allegedly subjected to solitary confinement, and sleep deprivation. Subsequently, he was reportedly transferred to the United States where the confessions he made during the interrogations in Saudi Arabia were used against him as the basis for a conviction for material support to the Al Qaeda network. Mr Ali’s health condition is deteriorating while he is serving a sentence to life imprisonment without parole in solitary confinement at the United States Penitentiary, Administrative Maximum Facility (ADX). SDN 6/2013 15/08/2013 Sudan JAL Reply A/HRC/25/74 67