African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies ACJPS | المركز الافريقي لدراسات العدالة و السلام
(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.
