Summary

Controversial incidents relating to Sudan’s path towards human rights reflect steps backwards. Firstly, famous singer Marwa al-Dawliyah was allegedly attacked and sexually harassed by policemen at a wedding in Bahri (Khartoum North). The attack led the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) to issue a statement that the much-maligned Public Order Law – which has been described as a “law used by policemen to harass women” – is still intact. Secondly, military personnel allegedly attacked journalist Ali al-Dali, leading to an outcry in the media community.

Key issues identified are: violations against journalists remaining as frequent as they are under the former regime, “half-baked” justifications for the “worrying” increase of security forces’ attacks on unarmed civilians, and the lack of political will from the government to fight sexual and gender-based violence (S/GBV).

The solutions proposed for: justice and support for victims of S/GBV, human rights training for security forces and for the government to abide by international human rights obligations.

Events

Marwa al-Dawliya attacked

Popular singer Marwa al-Dawliyah said she was assaulted and sexually harassed by 13 policemen from the “Community Security division”, which was known as the “Public Order division” during the former regime (SIHA, 15 August). During a police raid on a wedding ceremony in Khartoum North – Sharg Al Nile area, Marwa was assaulted alongside another 8 women and 21 men.

Journalist attacked: Ali Al-Dali

Sudanese journalist Ali al-Dali, a contributor to al-Jareeda newspaper who was “frequently harassed and detained by the former regime”, was in hospital after being beaten senseless, allegedly by military personnel in uniform, after an incident in Khartoum. The Sudanese Journalists Network (SJN) condemned the attack on a journalist who “owned no weapons others than his pen and words”, and called on the journalistic community across the spectrum “to take a strong stand against bullying, which is reminiscent of the practices of Al-Bashir’s military gangs” (Multiple sources, 24 August).

Demonstrations

Radio Dabanga (25 August) report that Sudanese journalists demonstrated against an alleged military assault that hospitalised Ali al-Dali, announcing a three-day boycott of all activities, particularly regarding news on the armed forces. The Ministry of Information and Culture also said the attack was “reminiscent of the former regime” and the ministry said it is working on preparing a law to protect journalists to prevent such practices.

Other journalists attacked

The SJN also publicly condemned “the brutal attack on journalist Mohamed El Mustafa by regular armed forces”. The SJN also condemned the “persistent” ill-treatment of journalist Tarig Osman by the reception staff of the Committee for Dismantling the June 30 System and Recovering Stolen Funds, explaining that Osman was subjected to investigation and harassment by the anti-corruption committee’s employees and was denied entry, which means he was denied the right to obtain information (Radio Dabanga, 31 August).

Issues

Harassment of journalists

The SJN state that the violations and harassment practised towards journalists “have unfortunately become as frequent as the violations and harassment practised by the ousted al-Bashir regime” (Radio Dabanga, 31 August).

Half-baked excuses for violence

Following the beating of journalist Ali al-Dali, his colleague Haider al-Mikhashfi writes that all Sudanese security forces offer “half-baked” justifications for violations committed by their adherents against unarmed civilians on the basis they are, and he quotes, "isolated, individual behaviour that has nothing to do with our unit”, with the offenders going unpunished. Furthermore, al-Mikhashfi notes that security elements assaults on unarmed civilian citizens “have increased in a worrying manner,” despite the enactment of legal provisions to prevent the unjustified use of force (al-Jareeda, 26 August).

Lack of government will against sexual and gender-based violence

Noting the failure from numerous transitional government bodies to condemn the assault of Marwa al-Dawliya, SIHA (15 August) accused the government of lacking political will to address violence against women and girls beyond tokenism, emphasising that “women and girls will still be exposed to such human rights violations perpetrated by state representatives” unless the government commits to “repealing oppressive and discriminatory laws and avail the necessary instruments and resources to end sexual and gender-based crimes in Sudan”.

Solutions

Support and justice for sexual and gender and based violence victims

SIHA (15 August) call upon the government to repeal laws that hinder violence victims from accessing justice, enact laws to protect women and girls against sexual and gender-based violence (S/GBV), especially during detention, interrogation, and imprisonment, alongside providing access to medical and psychosocial support for S/GBV survivors by supporting and establishing licensed mental health institutions and building strong and effective referral systems.

Human rights training

Haider al-Mikhashfi calls on the security forces to check the conduct of their personnel by holding “intensive courses on human rights for their staff,” whereby soldiers learn to protect citizens and not take the law into their own hands. He concludes that the assault of al-Dali can be “the last of such misconduct, or else calls for judges to be assigned to investigate before the civilian judiciary will be logical” (al-Jareeda, 26 August).

Government abiding by international human rights obligations

In demonstrations led by the SJN, protestors demanded that the transitional government reform military institutions and the statutory agencies, alongside abiding by the international treaties and covenants signed by Sudan relating to human rights and the protection of individuals. The Sudanese Human Rights Commission stressed the need to take serious legislative and administrative measures, procedures and public policies that are compatible with Sudan’s human rights obligations (Radio Dabanga, 25 August).