Statement at the 49th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Item 2: Enhanced interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner's oral update on Sudan
Delivered by Lisa Majumdar
Thank you, Mr President.
CIVICUS welcomes this ongoing Council scrutiny on human rights in Sudan since the military coup, which is vital to complement and strengthen existing regional efforts.
The past two months have seen an increase in the harassment, killing, and repression of anti-government protesters as well as civilians.
Since the military coup in October, Sudanese authorities have abducted scores of protesters and politicians. The military’s excessive use of force has led to the loss of at least eighty-one lives. Attacks on and harassment of women protesters and has escalated, including abductions, detentions and deaths. There are documented cases of torture and ill-treatment of detainees by security agencies, as well as reports of military personnel using the state-of-emergency to indiscriminately stop, search and rob civilians. We call on the military to bring its forces under its control and to refrain from using excessive force on peaceful protesters.
Journalists continue to face arrests and attacks for covering the anti-coup protests and media stations have been shut down. We call on Sudan to immediately release all human rights defenders, journalists, and protesters detained in the context of anti-coup protests.
Civil society groups face ongoing serious challenges, from funding restrictions to internet blackouts, which prevent them from undertaking their work.
The situation in Sudan risks further escalation, and a successful political settlement requires accountability. High Commissioner, what are the immediate steps that Sudan must take to ensure protection of civic freedoms and to prevent the situation from deteriorating further, and what steps must the Council take to support this?
Thank you.
Civic space in Sudan is rated as "repressed" by the CIVICUS Monitor
