A Sudanese woman carries a portrait of the teacher Ahmed al-Khair as she celebrates after the sentencing of 27 members of the national intelligence service to death by hanging over the killing of a teacher in detention in February during protests that led to the overthrow of former president Omar al-Bashir, outside the court in Omdurman, Sudan December 30, 2019. (REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)
A Sudanese court sentenced 29 members of the national intelligence service to death for the killing of Ahmed al-Khair, a teacher placed in detention during anti-government protests earlier this year, according to Reuters. The agents were sentenced to hanging on Monday.
Protesters and supporters celebrated the ruling, one of the first sentences issued following crackdowns on protests surrounding the ousting of former president Omar al-Bashir in April. Khair's brother Saad told reporters it was a "victory for justice.”
Thirteen other defendants were sentenced to prison while another four were acquitted in the ruling.
Khair's killing became a rallying point for protesters against Bashir's rule. His family said that security officials had initially claimed he died from poisoning, but a later investigation found he died of injuries from beating.