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Sudanese Parliament Passes Controversial Security Bill

   Measure curbs powers of intelligence agencies, but opposition does not
   go far enough

   VOA News 20 December 2009

   Sudan's  parliament  has  approved  a  controversial new security bill
   curbing  the  powers  of  the country's intelligence agencies, despite
   protests  from  opposition  groups  that  the  measure does not go far
   enough.
   The  new bill reduces the amount of time the National Security Service
   (NSS)  can  detain  suspects,  but  affirms existing powers of arrest,
   search and seizure.
   Lawmakers  from  southern  Sudan  People's  Liberation Movement (SPLM)
   voted  against  the  bill, saying only police should have the power to
   arrest  individuals.   Other opposition parties walked out of the vote
   in protest.
   Activists  and  rights  groups  have  long  accused  Sudan's  National
   Security  Service  of  carrying  out  torture  and killings during the
   country's north-south civil war.
   The  security  reform is part of a series of law reforms being decided
   as part of a 2011 referendum on southern independence.

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