Agents of Fear: The National Security Service in Sudan
Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) is an intelligence gathering and advisory agency, it was operating under the Bashier administration . Amnesty International and other international and national organisations repeatedly called for reform of the 1999 National Security Act. In 2009 the National Assembly passed a new National Security Act (NSA), which came into force in February 2010. However, the new Act maintains the NISS’ extensive powers of arrest, detention and immunity from prosecution and disciplinary action that were given to it under the earlier Act. As a result, torture, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial executions are still used to silence dissent. Continuing abuses include:

Arbitrary detention and torture in secret locations – ‘ghost houses’ – despite government claims that ghost houses have been closed down.
The systematic use of torture including threats against and harassment of dissidents’ families and the torture of children. Abuses are worse against southern Sudanese.
A Public Order regime that is discriminatory against women. Further, the shame generated by it is used as a weapon of control, abuse and political manipulation. It is used in coordination with the NISS or directly by the NISS itself.
The use in trials of evidence extracted under torture. Between May 2008 and June 2010 Amnesty recorded more than 120 death sentences that depended on evidence extracted by torture.
The inability of survivors of torture to seek redress through the justice system, because NISS officials have immunity from prosecution.
A clampdown on dissidents following the International Criminal Court’s March 2009 decision to issue a warrant of arrest against President Bashir. Thirteen international NGOs have also been expelled.

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