Tomo Kriznar, President Janez Drnovsek's envoy to Darfur, was sentenced to two years in prison by a court in the Sudanese city of Al Fasher on Monday, 14 August.
The Sudanese authorities also confiscated Kriznar's property and charged him a fine of approximately EUR 2,000. Kriznar, who has been in custody since 20 July, was charged by the court of first instance with entering Sudan illegally, spying and spreading lies about the Sudanese government and people. Kriznar's lawyer appealed the verdict, while Slovenian officials have launched efforts to secure his release. President Drnovsek sent a letter to his Sudanese counterpart Omar Al Bashir, asking him to pardon Kriznar. Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry dispatched a diplomatic official to Sudan in a bid to speak to the Sudanese authorities and visit Kriznar. The calls for Kriznar's release were also made by international human rights organisations and a rebel group in Darfur. The case has also sparke a political wrangle in Slovenia, with accusations and counter-accusations between the president and the Foreign Ministry. A poll found the majority of Slovenians convinced that Slovenian authorities had not done enough to secure Kriznar's release. Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said late on Saturday that Tomo Kriznar is a political prisoner and rejected claims that the ministry is not doing enough to bring him back to Slovenia.
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