AMNESTY International issued an urgent action alert yesterday for political prisoners rounded up by the Sudanese government’s secret police since the start of the year.

The group said that about 140 opposition political figures, women’s and human rights activists and students are believed to have been arrested by the Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Services (Niss) and to be at risk of maltreatment or execution.

Many members of the Sudanese Communist Party have been abducted, including political secretary Muhammad Mukhtar al-Khatieb.

Some have since been released, but communist Rashid Sidahmed told the Morning Star last week that several comrades had been transferred to remote prisons. He also put the total arrested higher at more than 300 political prisoners.

Amnesty urged people to send letters to Sudanese leaders to reduce the risk of them being tortured or murdered.

Sudanese opposition forces were due to rally yesterday afternoon at Jackson Square in Khartoum “against high prices and the budget of hunger and impoverishment.”

And Khartoum state teachers walked out on strike on Wednesday over pay, with their union urging full participation in yesterday’s rallies.