The Deputy Head of Sudan Opposition, Umma Party, was sentenced to one week imprisonment on Sunday for demonstrating against President Omar al-Bashir, demanding his stepping down, party officials said.

The protest was against emergency laws imposed in February, according to Mohamed Hassan, Head of the Umma’s Political Bureau.

“Mariam al-Mahdi, the daughter of Umma’s leader, Sadiq al-Mahdi, was among a group of 19 arrested while demonstrating in front of the party’s headquarters in Omdurman, across the Nile from the centre of the capital, Khartoum.

The court fined her 2,000 Sudanese pounds (about 42 dollars) for participating in the protest, which was calling on the president to step down,” Mr Hassan said.

Mr Al-Bashir declared a state-of-emergency last month after weeks of demonstrations, the most sustained challenge to his rule since he came to power in the coup that overthrew Sadiq al-Mahdi in 1989.

On Sunday afternoon, hundreds took to the streets in different areas of Omdurman to protest against the emergency laws.

Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse them.

The measures include an expansion of powers for the security services and a ban on unlicensed public gatherings.

More than 800 people have been tried in the emergency courts, according to the Democratic Alliance of Lawyers, an opposition group.

“On Saturday, nine female Sudanese protesters were sentenced to 20 lashes and one month in prison for rioting,” the alliance said.

Mariam was briefly arrested at the end of January in connection with the protests.

Another al-Mahdi’s daughter, Rabah, was also arrested on Sunday.

(Reuters/NAN)