KHARTOUM, Aug 7: The United Nations on Thursday voiced concern over trials in Sudan that sentenced to death 30 alleged Darfur rebels for an attack on the capital and urged Khartoum to abolish capital punishment.

“The United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) has concerns that the judicial process may not have met international standards,” said Ashraf Qazi, special representative of UN chief Ban Ki-moon, calling for a thorough review.

Late last month, especially created Sudanese courts found 30 alleged Darfur rebels guilty of involvement in a bloody attack on Khartoum in May, sentencing them to death and granting the right of appeal.

Defence lawyers have appealed the sentences and argue the special courts are unconstitutional and have not guaranteed their clients’ legal rights.

Qazi said “it would appear” that the accused were given access to lawyers only after trials began, and that confessions were extracted while they were held incommunicado and without legal advice.

The UN mission charged that the court did not investigate allegations of ill treatment, as the defence requested, through proper medical examination.

“UNMIS is concerned that the judicial process under the anti-terrorist act only allows for an extremely limited appellate process,” said Qazi.

Defence lawyers also said the one-week period to appeal was inadequate.

The UN mission urged Sudan to comply with international legal standards and said that in capital punishment cases particularly, the government was obliged to guarantee fair trials in keeping with the interim constitution.

“UNMIS, accordingly, urges the appeal court to thoroughly review the 30 death sentences,” said Qazi in a statement.

“UNMIS also encourages Sudan to abolish capital punishment and in the meantime establish a moratorium on executions.”

More than 222 people were killed when rebels from the Justice and Equality Movement thrust across the sandy expanse from western Sudan’s region of Darfur to Omdurman, just across the River Nile from the presidential palace.—AFP