SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Human Rights Watch – Sudan: Hundreds of Protesters Detained, Mistreated

28/4/2022: Human Rights Watch – Sudan: Hundreds of Protesters Detained, Mistreated

After Sudan’s security forces unlawfully detained hundreds of protesters since December 2021 and forcibly disappeared scores as part of its broader clampdown on opposition to the October 25 military coup, Human Rights Watch (HRW) call on Sudan’s international and regional partners and the UN to:

  • Press the military to lift the state of emergency, allow access for independent monitors to all detention facilities, and stop abusing protesters;

  • Adopt targeted measures against leaders and commanders of security forces involved in unlawful detentions and enforced disappearances, including those in leadership positions of the Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID) and General Intelligence Service (GIS);

  • Provide ongoing support to the mandate of the UN independent expert on Sudan and call for invitations for relevant UN and ACHPR experts to visit Sudan; and

  • Support local groups in their human rights documentation work.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Radio Dabanga - Sudan anti-graft committee leader released on bail

28/4/2022: Radio Dabanga - Sudan anti-graft committee leader released on bail

 

Radio Dabanga report that Sudanese authorities released leaders of the *Tamkeen committee on bail.

 

Wajdi Saleh’s bail conditions were set at SDG 15 million, whereas Tayib Osman and Babiker Faisal’s were ordered to handover SDG 50 million.

 

*The full name of the committee is the Committee for Dismantling the June 30 1989 Regime, Removal of Empowerment and Corruption, and Recovering Public Funds. Tamkeen (empowerment) is the term with which the ousted government of Omar al-Bashir supported its affiliates by granting them far-going privileges, including government functions, the setting-up of various companies, and tax exemptions.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Radio Dabanga - Sudan peace deal: International community recommends transitional legislative council

28/4/2020: Radio Dabanga - Sudan peace deal: International community recommends transitional legislative council

 Radio Dabanga report that an international delegation featuring the UK, Norway, USA, EU and Germany has proposed the formation of a transitional legislative council in cooperation with the armed movements to iron-out outstanding issues regarding the peace agreement.

 The international delegation’s proposed suggests that the transitional government should form the cooperative legislative council should both parties sign a peace agreement on May 9.

 If a peace deal does not occur within the deadline, the international delegation suggested that one third of legislative council seats should be reserved for the armed movements until a peace deal is concluded.

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Financial Times - Military leaders in Sudan and Algeria slow the shift to democracy

28/4/19: Financial Times – Military leaders in Sudan and Algeria slow the shift to democracy, by David Pilling and Heba Saleh

 David Pilling and Heba Saleh question the next step in Sudan and Algeria, where “some find it hard to believe that the military ejected longtime rulers in order simply to hand over power to civilians.”

 In Sudan, it is feared that the military could backslide if a transition to democracy is not quickly cemented. Prominent journalist Osman Mirghani is quoted saying “we are powerful now because we have those people on the street... but once those people withdraw, the army will not talk to us.”

 Pilling and Saleh state that the paradox for Sudanese and Algerian democracy activists is their need to negotiate “with the very forces that propped up the old regime,” in order to avert a situation as in Egypt, whereby the army-controlled transition following Hosni Mubarak’s ousting saw Abdel Fattah Al Sisi emerge as a new authoritarian leader.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Multiple sources - Sudan’s military rulers condemn attack on Islamist party

28/4/19: Multiple sources – Sudan’s military rulers condemn attack on Islamist party

 Sudan’s ruling military council condemned an attack on an Islamist party close to former President Omar Al Bashir. Dozens of protesters gathered Saturday outside a building where the Popular Congress Party was holding a meeting, chanting: “No place for Islamists.”

 The state-run SUNA news agency quoted PCP leader Idriss Suliman as saying that at least 64 party members were wounded in clashes with the protesters. The PCP was established in the late 1990s by Hassan Al Turabi, the Sudanese Islamist who played a key role in the 1989 coup that brought Al Bashir to power.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Multiple sources - Sudan’s military and opposition agree on joint council

27-8/4/19: Multiple sources – Sudan’s military and opposition agree on joint council

 

Sudan’s powerful generals and opposition leaders have agreed in principle to the formation of joint civilian-military council to lead the country’s political transition. However, the two sides failed to agree on how big a role the generals would have on the new council.

 A spokesman for the Forces of the Declaration of Freedom and Change, Mohammad Naji Al Assam, said the point of disagreement is that the military think it should be a military council with limited civilian representation, whereas the civilians believe it should be vice versa.