The authorities of the Sudanese regime arrested the Secretary-General of the Communist Party, Comrade Muhammed Mokhtar al-Khatib, and a number of cadres of the party on Wednesday 17th January 2018.

This repressive move came in response to the Communist Party's call to the Sudanese people to demonstrate against the increase in the price of bread, and in reaction to the mass demonstrations that came out in Khartoum and Omdurman.

While condemning the arrest of Comrade Mokhtar al-Khatib and his courageous comrades, and denouncing the repression of the demonstrators in Sudan, we declare our full solidarity with the legitimate struggle of the Sudanese Communists and people for ending the tyranny, and for freedom, dignity and social justice.

We also call upon the Communist parties, democratic forces and all the supporters of freedom and progress in the world, to raise their voices in defence of Comrade Mokhtar Al-Khatib and his comrades, support their just struggle and pressure the Sudanese regime to release them immediately and respond to their just demands.

Political Bureau

The Iraqi Communist Party

17th January 2018