Sudan arrests opposition leader al-Mahdi, could face death penalty

(This May 17 story is refiled to show Mariam is al-Madhi's daughter, not granddaughter, in paragraph 4) By Khalid Abdel Aziz KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudanese opposition leader Sadiq al-Mahdi was arrested on Saturday on charges that could lead to the death penalty, a government official said, a move that could hurt efforts to ease political tensions before elections due next year. Al-Mahdi, a former prime minister in Sudan's last elected civilian government, is the head of the Umma Party, the most prominent party opposing President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who ousted him in 1989. The public prosecutor had in the past days already opened an investigation into accusations that he insulted state security forces over a surge in violence in the troubled Darfur region. A government official, who declined to be named, confirmed al-Mahdi's arrest and the possible punishment he could face and said the investigations into him would start on Sunday. Read More http://ift.tt/1naLGid