Sudan Uses Excessive Force to Disperse Protests

(24 June 2012) Protests initiated started by Khartoum University students on 16 June have spread to universities across Sudan. Over the last six days, ordinary citizens joined the protests and demonstrations that broke out in a number of neighborhoods in cities in Sudan including Madani, Sinar, Shandi, Port Sudan and Alhasahisa.  On Friday 22 June, members of opposition political parties joined the protests that broke out after the Friday prayers in Omdurman, Buri and Khartoum North neighborhoods.

The demonstrations are occurring in the context of soaring inflation, rising prices of food and other essential commodities and new austerity measures to make up for a huge budget deficit in Sudan.  As part of the government’s efforts to address this deficit, a plan was announced in early June to lift fuel and sugar subsidies. At the same time, taxes were increased on other essential commodities. These measures have already started to negatively impact the population, particularly the poor.

Since mid-December 2011, security forces have used excessive force to break up protests at universities throughout Sudan. According to information gathered by the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS), this pattern has continued in the current protests. ACJPS documented the following human rights violations perpetrated against the participants during the current wave of protests.

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