HL Deb 12 May 1999 vol 600 c149WA
Lord McNair

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What information they have about the current numbers of political detainees in Sudan. [HL2199]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

In his report following his visit to Sudan in February 1999, the UN Special Rapporteur, Leonardo Franco, noted the Sudanese authorities' announcement of the release of 41 political prisoners and that there were no political prisoners left in Sudan. He also said that, in his opinion, some detainees whom the Government of Sudan considers or describes as common offenders could, in reality, be political prisoners.