Arrested human rights worker was to receive presidential honour

A Sudanese human rights worker was arrested hours before he was due to fly to Ireland to receive an award from President Mary McAleese, it emerged today.

Irish human rights agency Front Line said that Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam was arrested in Sudan on Sunday afternoon.

He was due to fly to Dublin that evening to receive the inaugural Front Line Award from Mrs McAleese at a ceremony at the City Hall on Friday.

Dr Mudawi is chairman of the Sudan Social Development Organisation (SUDO), a voluntary organisation engaged in humanitarian activities such as providing emergency services in North, South and West Darfur as well as human rights education and development projects throughout the country.

Dr Mudawi, a 49-year-old professor of engineering, has been arrested on two previous occasions by the Sudanese authorities.

He had been chosen to receive the first Front Line Award in recognition of his work in the war-torn country.

Front Line is an Irish-based international organisation which provides grants, advocacy and protection for human rights defenders who are at risk from intimidation or violence.

Today Front Line’s president, Mary Lawlor said: “The actions of the Sudanese authorities betray their contempt for the protection of human rights.

“This new arrest of Dr Mudawi is a further attempt to silence those who work for the rights of others in Sudan.”

Ms Lawlor said her organisation had been in touch with the Sudanese authorities and were hoping to speak to Dr Mudawi.

Dr Mudawi’s wife and 10-year-old daughter have now been granted emergency visas to accept the award on his behalf at the event, which will be attended by 26 ambassadors in Ireland, including the British and American ambassadors.

“It’s important to go ahead with the ceremony as it shows the reality of life for a human rights defender, who doesn’t know what’s going to happen to them.

“Anything can happen to these people – they work at great personal risk,” Ms Lawlor said.