13. Mr. SWANasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state if there have been any arrests for political reasons in the Sudan lately of officers or civilians, and, if so, how many, and on what charges?
The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Cecil Harmsworth)As far as I am aware, the only person lately arrested in the Sudan for reasons which might be described as political is Lieutenant AH Abdel Latif, who was tried in the circumstances which I described in my reply to the hon. Member on 6th July.
Mr. SWANIs my hon. Friend aware that there are five lieutenants—three in the Fourteenth Regiment and one lieutenant of the 10th Sudanese Regiment—who to-day are having their cases inquired into by the authorities for supposed political offences?
Mr. HARMSWORTHAs I understand it, they are under detention for offences against military authority.
Mr. HARMSWORTHI have given an answer to the hon. Member, and I do not know that there is any necessity for further inquiry.