SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Human Rights Watch - Victims of Sudan Crackdown on Protests Await Justice
Mohamed Osman, Human Rights Watch assistant researcher for Africa, calls for a “meaningful” transparent justice process, with the Sudanese government providing “regular public updates on the progress in investigations of public interest and guaranteeing victims and their families effective participation.”
Osman argues that while “justice efforts required in Sudan are ambitious and long-term,” the government, with international support, should take “effective, prompt actions to bolster current efforts”.
Osman cites resources and a lack of political will as obstacles to justice, quoting Mahmoud al-Sheikh, a member of the attorney-general’s committee to investigate abuses, to say: “we are struggling to get the security forces to cooperate including by providing us with access to crucial evidence or accept requests of lifting immunities of suspects.”
Osman further notes that Sudanese criminal law does not recognise command responsibility as a mode of liability, “which could hinder the possibility of holding mid-to-top level commanders accountable.”