Embassy of the Republic of the Sudan in Berlin

Sudan President Pardons Darfur Rebels on Death Row

President Omer al-Bashir pardoned five members of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) who had been sentenced to death by military courts. The decision , which was announced Thursday, to drop the death penalty has been taken in response to an appeal by the national dialogue parties and to promote the national reconciliation atmosphere, according to the decree. The presidential decree includes Ibrahim Abdel-Rahman Saffi al-Nur, Yahia Abbaker Musa al-Nur, Ibrahim Ali al-Rashid Abdel-Gadir, Mohamed Ibrahim al-Doma and Azrag Daldoom Adam Haroun. Except for Yahia Abbaker Musa al-Nur who was arrested with Ibrahim al-Maz in West Darfur state in January 2011, all the others took part in the attack on the Sudanese capital in May 2008. In line with the roadmap for peace inked by the rebel groups and the government, the release of detainees is part of the confidence-building measures before to engage in talks for peace in Darfur and the Two Areas.