On May 11, 2017, Sudanese engineering graduate student Abdulmonem Abdumawla was granted a pardon by Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir and released after more than 500 days in prison. 

Mr. Abdumawla is a human rights defender, who has publicly criticized rights violations in his country, including abuses involving Sudan’s minority Christian community.  He was arrested in December 2015 by Sudanese authorities and detained incommunicado and without charge prior to his transfer to Al Huda Prison in Omdurman in August 2016.  He was later charged with various national security-related offenses, for which no evidence was presented.  After a trial marred by procedural irregularities, Mr. Abdumawla was convicted and sentenced in January 2017 to 12 years in prison.