(28 October
2021) African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) has serious safety
concerns for the continued arbitrary arrests and incommunicado detention of
individuals including human rights defenders/activists, political opposition
members, cabinet ministers and government officials following the 25 October
coup under the leadership of Lt. Gen. Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan. The brutality by
security forces against civilians during arrests and dispersal of protest
gatherings raises further concerns for the respect of right to life and
prohibition of torture and inhumane treatment.
On
25 October 2021, General Abdul–Fatah Al-Burhan, Chairperson of the ousted
Sudanese Sovereign Council announced on national television that he was
dissolving the Sovereign Council and the Transitional Government headed by
Prime Minister, Dr. Abdulla Hamdook, and declared a nationwide state of
emergency. General Al-Burhan suspended Articles 11, 12, 15, 16, 24(2),71, and
72 of the 2019 Constitutional Charter. Articles 11 and 12 provide for the
composition and powers of the Sovereign Council whilst Articles 15 and 16
provide for the composition and powers of the Transitional Cabinet. Article 24
provides for the composition of the Transitional Legislative Council. General
Al-Burhan also stated that a general election will be held in July 2023.
ACJPS
has been reliably informed that before the coup, there was deployment of the
military from Darfur to Khartoum. Justice and Equality Movement, a former rebel
group withdrew some of its forces from Darfur to Khartoum before 19 October
2021 whilst the Sudan Liberation Movement – Minawi wing strengthened the
presence of its forces in Khartoum on 24 October 2021, a few hours before the
coup.
Mobile
and internet connectivity have been disrupted since 25 October and a group of
Special Forces belonging to the military intelligence of the Sudan Armed Forces
are carrying out arbitrary arrests, mainly targeting civilian members of the Sovereign
Council, Cabinet Ministers, state Governors and Government officials, political
leaders, journalists and activists. The Prime Minister, Dr. Abdulla Hamdook and
his wife, Dr. Mona Abdulla, were detained at military headquarters on 25
October and placed under house arrest at their residence in Kafuri, Khartoum
Bahri on 26 October. Reliable information indicates that at least 13 ministers
have also been detained. Several activists from different states including from
South Darfur and Aljazeera states have also been detained.
In
his 26 October address, General Al-Burhan stated that investigations will be
conducted for the detainees and those charged will be produced before the
courts. Several detainees remain held in unknown locations without access to
family or lawyers.
There
is a serious safety concern for detainees considering the well-documented use
of torture and ill-treatment by Sudanese forces against detainees, particularly
while held in unknown locations. Incommunicado detention significantly enhances
vulnerability to torture and other ill-treatment. In this release, ACJPS has
documented the reported torture of at least two detainees.
Following
the coup, hundreds of Sudanese took to the streets calling for the restoration
of the transitional government and release of detainees. Joint forces including
the Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces responded with excessive force
killing at least 7 peaceful protesters including 2 children and injuring at
least 120 people after they fired live ammunition and tear gas to disperse
gatherings.
The
continued disruptions to the internet and mobile connectivity have hindered
access to information at a critical time. These disruptions are reminiscent of
similar disruptions that took place in June 2019 when the Transitional Military
Council under Gen Al-Burhan’s leadership imposed a near-total internet shutdown
as joint forces violently cracked down on a peaceful sit-in in Khartoum on 3
June.
On
27 October, the African Union Peace suspended Sudan from all its activities
until the restoration of the transitional government. The European Union
delegation to Sudan, the Troika countries, and Switzerland issued a statement
calling for the release of the remaining political detainees. The statement
also affirmed the continued recognition of the Prime Minister and his
government as constitutional leaders of the transitional government and
stressed the importance of respecting the basic right of all to demonstrate. On
Wednesday 27 October, the World Bank also suspended aid and programs directed
to Sudan.
As
protests continue including the organizing for the 30 October march, ACJPS
strongly urges security forces to refrain from using excessive force against
unarmed civilians; respect and protect the right to peaceful assembly, free
expression and right to life. ACJPS calls for the immediate release of all
detainees and guarantees of their physical safety and wellbeing including
granting access to their lawyers, family members and medical services.
Persons
detained in Khartoum on 25 October 2021
Mohamed
AlFaki Suleiman, member of Sovereign Council and Chairman of Anti-Corruption
and Dismantle Committee. He is also a member of Sudanese Democratic Unionist
Party. He was reportedly subjected to torture while in detention before being
referred for medical care.
Al-Hadi
Idris, member of Sovereign Council and Chairman of Sudan Liberation
Movement/Transitional Council. He was released after few hours.
El-Tahir
Abdul Rahman Hagar, member of Sovereign Council and Chairman of Sudan
Liberation Movement/Liberation Alliance. He was released after few hours.
Mohamed
Hassan Eltaishi, Member of Sovereign Council. He was released later in the day.
Abdalla
Adam Hamdook, Sudanese Prime Minster. Reliable information indicates that on
26th October 2021, he was transferred from SAF headquarters to his home in
Kafuri, Khartoum Bahri and placed under house arrest.
Mona
Abdulla, Wife of Sudanese Prime Minster. She was detained with her husband and
is currently under house arrest at their residence in Kafuri, Khartoum Bahri.
Khaled
Omar, Minister of the Sudanese Council of Ministers, and a member of the
Sudanese Congress Party. He was reportedly tortured during his arrest.
Hamza
Balloul, Minister of Culture and Information and member of the Democratic
Unionist Party.
Ibrahim
Al-Sheikh, Sudanese Minister of Industry and a member of the Sudanese Congress
Party
Hashiem
Hassab Al-Rasoul, Minister of Communications and member of the Arab Ba’ath
Party
Yasser
Saeed Arman, political advisor to the Sudanese Prime Minister and member of the
Popular Movement for the Liberation of Sudan.
Faisal
Mohamed Saleh, Media Adviser to the Sudanese Prime Minister
Aymen
Nimir, Governor of Khartoum State, member of Democratic Unionist Party
Al-
Mahi Suliman, Governor of Senaar State, and member Sudanese Congress Party
Ali
Al-Rayah El-Sanhouri, member the Arab Ba’ath Party
Omar
Al-Digair, head of the Sudanese Congress Party
Hamza
Farouk, member of Sudanese Congress Party
Luqman
Ahmed, Director of Sudan TV
Maheir
Abu Algoukh, Sudan TV staff member
Wajdi
Saleh, member of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party
Yasir
Araki, journalist working for Alshorooq TV. He was released after two hours
Persons
detained on 25 October in South Darfur and Aljazeera States
Abdel
Rahman Abdel Makram, doctor and human rights defender.
Ahmed
Ibrahim, a political activist
Mohamed
Ahmed Algaali, a member of the Committee to Dismantle the June 30, 1989 Regime
and Retrieve Public Funds
Abu
Zar Massoud, member of Committee to Dismantle the June 30, 1989 Regime and
Retrieve Public Funds
Elfadil
Fadil, journalist and media secretary at South Darfur Governor office
Taha
Awad, member of the Anti-Corruption Committee, Al Jazeera state
Samer
Salah, member of the Anti-Corruption Committee, Al Jazeera state
Persons
detained on 26 October 2021
Fayez
Al-Sulaik, a journalist and former advisor in the Prime Minister’s Office
Siddiqi
Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi, assistant to the head of the National Umma Party
Ismail
Al-Taj, human rights defender and member of the Sudan Professional Association
Yassin
Hassan Abdel Karim, President of the Sudanese Teachers Union
Persons
detained on 27 October 2021
Yasir
Abbas, Sudanese Minister of Irrigation
Omar
Al-Najeeb, Minister of Health
Alhaj
Warag, journalist and chief editor of Democrat newspaper
Eyhab
Elteyeb, member of Committee to Dismantle the June 30, 1989, Regime and
Retrieve Public Funds
Names
of persons killed during protests
Mohamed
Abdel Rahim, Doctor , shot in the head (m)
Alsadiq
Al- Gasim Al-Sadiq (m)
Eyhab
Abdel Nasser Elshazali(m)
Algasim
Ibrahim (m)
Mohamed
Aboud, shot in the head (m)
Rayaan
Ali, Doctor (f)
Background
The
Sovereign Council was established in August 2019 following the signing of a
Constitutional Charter between the Transitional Military Council and the Forces
for Freedom and Change movement (an umbrella organization for opposition groups
and protests leaders) on 17 August 2019. The Constitutional Charter established
an 11- member (civilian and military) Sovereign Council which was to rule Sudan
during a 3-year transitional period beginning August 2019, followed
by-elections.
On
18 October 2020, following the signing of the Peace Agreement between the
Sovereign Council and Sudanese Revolutionary Front (an umbrella of former rebel
groups) on 3 October 2020 in Juba, amendments to the Constitutional Charter
were adopted at a joint meeting of the Sovereign Council and Council of
Ministers to incorporate the Juba Peace Agreement. The amendments extended the
timeline for the transitional period, increased the composition of the
Sovereign Council by three members, granted signatories a 25% representation in
the cabinet and legislature, and allowed incumbents from the armed forces to
run for office in elections. General Abdel Fattah al- Burhan as Chairman was
currently heading the Sovereign Council for the first 21 months after which a civilian
member of the Council was to take over the Chairmanship for the remaining
period of the transition.
There
were at least two attempted coups by the members of the military against the
transitional government, the most recent being in September 2021