Sudan: UN rights chief urges ongoing efforts to restore civilian rule and transition to democracy

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed his support on Friday for the “restoration of civilian rule and the transition to democracy” in Sudan following the country's military coup in October 2021.

During an update to the Human Rights Council, the UN rights chief highlighted the death on Tuesday of a 17-year-old demonstrator, shot dead by a police officer in the Sharq Alnil area of Khartoum, "one of 125 people to die since protests began over 16 months ago (and) one in five of whom have been children under the age of 18".

The ongoing violence has been led by opponents to the coup, which ended a power-sharing agreement between military and civilian leaders, that was established following the April 2019 overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir, who had ruled for 30 years.

UN-appointed independent rights experts have previously condemned the crackdown against anti-coup protesters, citing “continued reports of protestors being killed, forcibly disappeared, injured, tortured and subjected to sexual and gender-based violence. Prosecuting perpetrators, including high-level commanders responsible for these violations is critical to ensuring Sudan’s sustainable transition to a credible democratic civilian government”.

In January, Sudan’s political parties began talks aimed at restoring a civilian-led transition, which the UN hailed as an important step towards peace and democracy.

Some 9,096 people have sustained injuries since October 2021, many of them life changing, from live ammunition, rubber bullets, tear gas cannisters and other weapons arbitrarily fired by the security forces, the High Commissioner also noted, as he encouraged Sudanese efforts to ensure accountability for human rights abuses.

"Genuine measures of accountability and transitional justice are seen by victims as a priority and, ultimately, a pre-condition for stability and democratic transformation," Mr. Türk insisted.

ends

STORY: Sudan – Human Rights Council Oral Update (Continuity)              

TRT: 16 mins 23s

SOURCE: UNTV CH

RESTRICTIONS: NONE

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS (LEFT) / ARABIC (RIGHT)

ASPECT RATIO: 16:9

DATELINE: 3 March 2023 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST

1. Exterior medium-wide, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying.
2. Wide shot, Human Rights Council in session.
3. SOUNDBITE (English) — UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk at the 52nd Session of the Human Rights Council: “Mr. President, Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, When travelling to Sudan last November, my first country visit as High Commissioner for Human Rights, I witnessed a country at a critical juncture. There is profound pain born of decades of conflict, repression, impunity, and humanitarian crisis.

But there is also extraordinary hope – and expectation – for change, peace, democracy and justice, driven by people from all walks of life who are calling for a better Sudan. 

The ongoing consultations between the military authorities and the civilian political forces is indeed, very much welcome, to find a way out of the stalemate that has held the country back since October 2021.

The signing of the political framework agreement on 5 December 2022 was a first, important step towards the restoration of civilian rule and the transition to democracy. The strong commitments to human rights and justice it contains are very welcome, and I urge that they also be enshrined in the final agreement.

I am very grateful to the Sudanese authorities for their positive engagement and cooperation during my visit to Sudan, as well as for their cooperation with my designated expert and with my Office in the country.

Mr. President,

During my visit, I received commitments that the excessive use of force against protestors taking part in demonstrations would stop. While the toll has dropped significantly over the last few months, we are still seeing instances of killings and injuries of protesters that have been reported. On Tuesday this week, a 17-year-old demonstrator was shot dead by a police officer in the Sharq Alnil area of Khartoum. The immediate action taken by the authorities to investigate this killing and the officer responsible is an important step.   

According to medical sources, this young person was the 125th person to die since protests began over 16 months ago, one in five of whom have been children under the age of 18. Some 9,096 people have sustained injuries, many of them life changing, from live ammunition, rubber bullets, tear gas cannisters and other weapons arbitrarily fired by the security forces.

Impunity continues to be a serious issue. It is welcome that the judicial committee established to investigate serious human rights violations and other acts since 25 October 2021 has made some progress. Numerous other judicial committees have been set up to investigate human rights violations and abuses. It is really important that this work is completed, and that their findings are known. Indeed, genuine measures of accountability and transitional justice are seen by victims as a priority and, ultimately, a pre-condition for stability and democratic transformation.

I welcome the release of political prisoners, as well as 300 men detained on the orders of the Governors of North and West Darfur in 2021 and 2022 under emergency legislation. It is also welcome that the authorities have established a committee to review the compliance of the 1997 emergency legislation with international human rights law, as well as the authority given to state governors under the legislation. I hope the committee will address concerns about the use of this legislation to detain people for long periods without trial or due process. My Office stands ready to provide technical advice in this regard. In light of these developments, I urge the release of the 28 people arrested in Blue Nile under emergency legislation.

In Darfur, we saw first-hand the impact of the delays in implementing the Juba Peace Agreement and the National Plan for the Protection of Civilians. Many of the millions of displaced people have been away from their homes and lands for nearly 20 years, but still hold out hope that they will one day be able to return safely. I welcome the renewed agreement two weeks ago by the signatories of the Juba Peace Agreement on its implementation.

Mr. President,

I am concerned by the pushback on the important gains made by women under the transitional government. Women have been at the forefront of peaceful protests and civil society action.  Yet, they have increasingly borne the brunt of hate speech, intimidation and harassment, both offline and online.

Civil society representatives have told us about limitations imposed on civic space, such as increased bureaucracy, denial or long delays in registration, scrutiny of civil society activities, and harassment of their staff. An open and vibrant civic space is a key ingredient for the future of Sudan.

Also worrying is the marked regression in the enjoyment of socio-economic rights. The costs of basic services, food and fuel have skyrocketed, and the population is under enormous pressure as a result of increased taxes and fees, including school fees, with scant increases in wages. 

Mr. President,

For the way forward, I suggest the following: I urge the authorities explicitly to instruct the security forces to respect human rights and international standards on the use of force and firearms. Everyone has the right to peaceful assembly and protest, and the State has an obligation to ensure this right of all Sudanese is fully respected.

On justice, all those responsible for human rights violations and abuses must be held to account, in accordance with due process and without unjustified delays. Credible, victim-centred transitional justice processes are key.

Review of emergency legislation must ensure that any amendments are fully in line with international human rights law.

For women and girls, I urge the authorities publicly to commit to guaranteeing fully their rights, including zero tolerance for sexual violence and all forms of discrimination.

For the people of Darfur – who need security and a political commitment to resolve underlying causes of conflict – full implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement is vital, as is implementation of the National Plan for the Protection of Civilians to help protect communities from ongoing armed attacks.

My Office stands ready to strengthen its support, including for legal and institutional reforms to promote and protect human rights, the development of a victim-centred transitional justice process, and to broaden civic space.

Mr. President,

The memories of Sudan’s 30-year dictatorship are still fresh in its people’s minds. They are determined not to return to the past.

Transitions are never straightforward, as we have seen in many places around the world. But they provide enormous opportunities for progress in all areas of economic, social, cultural, civil and political life, and for sustainable development that is more equitably shared.

I encourage all parties in Sudan to put aside individual and sectoral interests and to work towards a future defined by the common good. Rebuilding trust between the authorities and the Sudanese people is critical to Sudan’s future. A new civilian-led government will also need sustained international support to tackle the immense challenges it will face.

I stand in solidarity with the Sudanese people and wholeheartedly share their hopes and demands for genuine change, peace, democracy and justice, and their desire for a society where they can participate, freely, equally, and safely.

Thank you, Mr President.”

1. Close, Mr. Türk shown in the TV camera viewfinder and to rear.
2. Medium-wide, Human Rights Council in session.
3. Medium, Human Rights Council in session, delegates and large screen showing Mr. Türk.
4. Medium, Human Rights Council in session, Mr. Türk shown speaking to rear.
5. Medium, Human Rights Council in session, delegates.
6. Medium, Medium, Human Rights Council in session, Sudan delegation.
7. Medium, Human Rights Council in session, South African delegation in foreground.
8. Medium, Human Rights Council in session, German delegation.
9. Medium, Human Rights Council in session, delegations including Burkina Faso.
10. Medium, Human Rights Council in session, French delegation.
11. Medium-wide, Mr. Türk speaking.
12. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) — Mohamed Saeed Alhilo Dongs, Minister of Justice of Sudan: “شكراً السيد الرئيس  ،،

يقدم وفد السودان الشكر للسيد المفوض السامي لحقوق الإنسان على تحديثه الشفوي وما جاء فيه من ملاحظات. ويشير في هذا السياق، الى الزيارة الاولى للخبير المعني السيد رضوان نويصر خلال الفترة 28 يناير -3 فبراير 2023 حيث قدمنا كل التسهيلات اللازمة لانجاح مهمته اسوة بتعاوننا مع سلفه الخبير السابق أداما دينق. كما أستقبل السودان السيد المفوض السامي لحقوق الانسان في نوفمبر الماضي، في اول زيارة خارجية له بعد تسلمه مهامه ، وكل ذلك في إطار التعاون والإنخراط الايجابي مع آليات حقوق الإنسان.

السيد الرئيس

شكل النائب العام عدداً من لجان التحقيق الجنائية في الإنتهاكات المتعلقة بحقوق الإنسان و العنف ضد المراة ، وتم استكمال التحقيقات في عدد ( 8) لجان منها، وتم رفع الحصانات من كل من يشتبه ضلوعهم في انتهاكات حقوق الانسان ومن ثم أحيلت تلك الى القضاء.  بجانب ذلك أنشأ النائب العام نيابة متخصصة بشأن الجرائم المتعلقة بحق الشهداء.

ويؤكد السودان التزامه بمبدأ عدم الإفلات من العقاب، وتعمل النيابة العامة على رفع حصانات المشتبه بهم من جهات إنفاذ القانون الأمنية التي ينتمون اليها وفقاً للإجراءات القانونية. 

تم تشكيل لجان المصالحات وجبر الضرر لحل النزاعات القبلية في بعض الولايات، وتم رفع نتائج التحقيقات الخاصة بلجان التحرى والتحقيق حول الاحداث الأخيرة بجنوب دارفور ( منطقة بليل) وتمت احالة المتهمين الي المحاكم المختصة.

نصت الوثيقة الدستورية على إنشاء مفوضية العدالة الإنتقالية. وإستناداً على ذلك تجرى الترتيبات لإنشاء وتشكيل مفوضية العدالة الإنتقالية

قطعنا شوطاً في تنفيذ عملية نشر القوات المشتركة في إطار الآلية الوطنية لحماية المدنيين إتساقاً مع الخطة الوطنية لحماية المدنيين و إتفاقية جوبا للسلام.   وكما تعلمون، فقد تم منذ مايو الماضي رفع حالة الطواريء الشاملة في كل البلاد، وإطلاق سراح المعتقلين بموجبها، وإن حالات الطواريء الجزئية المؤقتة التي طبقت في بعض الولايات التي تمر بأوضاع إستثنائية كانت لدواع أمنية ومن أجل منع تدهور الأوضاع بسبب بعض النزاعات القبلية.  و لمزيد من الإتساق مع المواثيق الدولية لحقوق الإنسان تم تشكيل لجنة بقرار صادر من مجلس الوزراء لمراجعة قانون الطواريء والسلامة العامة ومواءمته مع الاتفاقيات الدولية.

لقد ظلت بلادي تلتزم بضمان الحريات بما في ذلك حرية التعبير و الرأى والتجمع السلمي والتنظيم.

السيد الرئيس

تشكل حقوق المرأة و تمكينها أحد اولويات بلادي، وقد نصت الوثيقة الدستورية على تدابير التمييز الإيجابي لصالح المرأة التى تشمل تخصيص نسبة لا تقل عن 40% من مقاعد المجلس التشريعي للنساء مع ضمان تمثيلهن في مجلسي السيادة والوزراء، و تواصل بلادي في هذا الصدد اكمال إجراءات إنضمامها لإتفاقية القضاء على جميع أشكال التمييز ضد المرأة ( سيداو)، فضلاً عن مجهوداتها في تنفيذ قرار مجلس الامن الدولي 1325 الخاص بالمراة والأمن والسلام في إطار الخطة الوطنية للاعوام 2022-2023 للاستمرار في متابعة تنفيذ هذا القرار. كما يجدد السودان إلتزامه بحماية الأطفال، ومنع كل أشكال التعدى عليهم وإستغلالهم وإستمرار العمل المشترك مع الوكالات الدولية والإقليمية ذات الصلة بالأطفال وحماية حقوقهم. كما تجدد بلادي التزامها بحماية حقوق الأشخاص ذوى الإعاقة، والمسنين وكل الفئات الضعيفة.

السيد الرئيس،،

يجدد السودان التزامه بتنفيذ التعهدات الطوعية التي قدمها في سياق تجديد عضويته بمجلسكم الموقر لدورة ثانية، كما نجدد التزامنا بتنفيذ التوصيات الواردة في تقرير السودان الثالث الصادر عن آلية الإستعراض الدوري الشامل حيث وضعنا خطة وطنية وشكلنا لجنة لتنفيذ التوصيات التي تم قبولها.

السيد الرئيس

تدعو بلادي مجلسكم الموقر النظر في مسألة تعدد الآليات في بلادي والتي تتمثل في المكتب القطري، والمكتب المشترك مع بعثة الأمم المتحدة المتكاملة لدعم الإنتقال  بالإضافة الي الخبير المعين المعني بأوضاع حقوق الإنسان في السودان، ولا شك إن هذا التعدد في الآليات يؤدي الي تعارض في الاختصاصات بما يستوجب إعادة النظر والمعالجة.

ختاماً، نؤكد على الاستمرار في التعاون والإنخراط الايجابي مع آليات حقوق الإنسان، وسعينا الدؤوب، من خلال موقعنا كعضو في هذا المجلس الموقر للعمل من أجل تحقيق الأهداف السامية التي من أجلها تم إنشاء هذا المجلس.

شكراً السيد الرئيس.”

1. Medium, showing Mr. Dongs in the TV camera viewfinder and to rear.
2. Medium, Argentina delegation in foreground.
3. Medium, Eritrea delegation in foreground.