Photo: Al Jazeera

A group of protesters demonstrating against government's austerity measures last week. The government in Khartoum has reacted strongly by illegally detaining students and activists and stifling media coverage of the protests which originated in response to government economic policies.

Khartoum — In Khartoum the Sudanese Lawyers Syndicate organized protests in front of the Supreme Court, the Khartoum District Court and the courts complex in AlArda Street in Omdurman. An activist lawyer told Radio Dabanga they raised banners which read: "no to price hikes" and "no to the unlawful trial of students and protesters". He said that "In spite of the fact that our demonstration was peaceful the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) intimidated the lawyers. The police stopped us from entering the courts to work after we stopped protesting".

The Umma Party

The Umma Party calls for peaceful protests on Friday after prayers at the Ansar Mosque in Wad Nubawi end. Mariam AlMahdi, a leader of the Umma Party told Radio Dabanga portest at the Ansar Mosque will start around 2 PM and continue until dusk. Mariam called on all Sudanese citizens to join in the peaceful protests against the regime. The demonstrations on Friday are against the rising prices of essential goods.

AlMahdi also stated that the political bureau of the Umma Party refused to adhere to the demands of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) to freeze all activities of the Umma Party. They also refused the NISS demand to proofread the parties newspaper.

Government

Meanwhile, the Vice-President of the Republic, Al Hajj Adam Yusef, mocked activists calls for mass demonstrations on Friday to commemorate 23 years since Omar Al Bashir came to power. He stated "the demonstrations will not succeed". President Omar Al Bashir, Sudan's first Vice-President Ali Osman Mohammed Taha, and Adam Yusef all dismissed the calls for demonstrations claiming that they were made by people who had fled the country. He challenged them to return to Sudan and demonstrate. During an interview with Dubai Satellite TV Adam Yusef said "It is impossible to bring down the 'government of salvation'". He accused political parties and other entities of being "sacrilegious" for using the increase rising prices of essential commodities and petrol as a mean bring about the fall of the regime. He also condemned the media for focusing on the protesters, and added that these are the same people who supported the government during the recapture of Heglig.