Earlier this week, Dr. Mohamed Elgadi, an American citizen and Sudanese refugee, sent a passionate letter to President Obama describing his experience as a victim of torture in Sudan. Dr. Elgadi was one of many dissidents held in "ghost houses" by the Sudanese government, led by International Criminal Court indictee Omar al Bashir. In his letter, Elgadi recalls being mocked by his captors who told him "The President gave us free reign because you no longer exist."
Elgadi's letter comes just as the Sudanese government is engaging in a repressive crackdown on Darfuri students and activists in Khartoum. On March 11, state security forces ambushed a peaceful meeting of Darfuri students who were seeking to raise the profile of escalating violence in Darfur. Disturbingly, state security forces reportedly systematically rounding up and arresting Darfuri students.
These recent events echo Elgadi's account of his experience in the ghost houses:
"I was subjected to horrendous methods of torture including sexual torture as one of more than 30 different methods introduced by the Islamist regime. "
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