Sudanese authorities today released the head of the Sudanese Congress Party, Ibrahim El Sheikh, after more than three months in prison following his criticism of the government’s Rapid Support Forces.

Radio Tamazuj reports that El Sheikh was released at about 6:00 p.m. from prison in El Obeid, North Kordofan State.

This comes after Thabo Mbeki, chairman of the AU High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), announced last week after meeting Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir that the latter had agreed to El Sheikh’s release.

Ibrahim El sheikh was detained in En Nahud, West Kordofan, on 8 June by security forces. He was charged with undermining the constitutional order, opposing military actions, publication of false news, and disturbing the public peace.

He had accused the Rapid Support Forces of committing human rights abuses in Kordofan and Darfur.

Another seven members of the Sudanese Congress Party remain in detention in Sudan. The SCP is a minor but older Sudanese political party. Its leader hails from the En Nahud where he was initially detained in June.