Christian Entity Urges UN Agency to Illegitimize Rights Abuses by Sudan’s Military

The CSW official urges the Sudanese military to work towards returning the power to the people, saying, “We appeal to the military to facilitate the swift transfer of power to civilians, and to cease all violations against Sudanese citizens who are exercising their fundamental freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly.”

Signatories to the letter addressed to the Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the UNHRC state that the timing of the planned February 1 review of Sudan is inappropriate amid reports of protracted violence.

The Christian human rights foundation describes UPR as a State-to-State peer-review process by which every UN member State has its human rights record reviewed in four and a half year cycles.

“Sudan’s UPR is taking place at an unusual and critical time for the nation,” the signatories write.

They add, “The unconstitutional transfer of power by the military dissolved the transitional institutions, while members of the civilian-led government were detained or arrested on 25 October 2021. The consequent political crisis and the resignation of former Prime Minister Abdala Hamdok on 2 January has raised legal questions regarding the legitimate representatives of the state.”

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The letter states that it would have been preferable if the UPR had been postponed. The letter however acknowledges that the cancellation of the review “may have proven difficult, given the modalities of the third cycle.”

CSW reports that the situation of human rights in Sudan has deteriorated significantly since the October coup.

“Over the past three months, activists have continued to organize protests against the military, which has responded with violence,” the report indicates, and continues, “At least 77 protesters have been killed, hundreds have been arrested or forcibly disappeared, and concerning reports have emerged of the use of rape and sexual violence by security forces.”

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.