Communist Party of Britain leader Robert Griffiths has written to Sudan’s embassy to protest at the arrest of two leading members of the Sudanese Communist Party (SCP).

Central committee members Fathi Elfadl, the official SCP spokesman, and Taj Alsir Othman Babu are the latest to be rounded up by Khartoum’s security forces following huge communist-organised demonstrations against the government’s austerity budget.

They were nabbed on Monday night and taken to an unknown location. Their families have heard nothing since. Both men are in their seventies with serious medical conditions.

The SCP said that a member called Ali al-Kenin was also arrested.

“Dozens of trade union and political figures have been arrested over the past month in the wake of mass demonstrations in Khartoum and other cities protesting against the removal of food subsidies and the resulting hardship,” wrote Mr Griffiths.

“Some of those arrested remain unaccounted for. In these two recent cases we ask that the prisoners be immediately to receive the necessary medical attention.”

Both have recently had surgery — Dr Elfadl for a heart condition and Mr Alsir a kidney transplant.