African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies ACJPS | المركز الافريقي لدراسات العدالة و السلام
(14 May 2021) The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) calls on the international community to urgently investigate the killing of two peaceful protesters and injury of 37 others that occurred on 11 May 2021 in Khartoum.
On 11 May 2021, members of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) attacked civilians participating in the peaceful sit-in in front of the army headquarters in Khartoum. Thousands of protesters had gathered there for the second anniversary of the 3 June massacre that occurred in June 2019 where hundreds of peaceful protesters were killed and others wounded, raped and forcefully disappeared.
According to eyewitnesses, armed troops wearing Sudanese armed forces uniform fired tear gas and live ammunition at protesters and beat them with sticks. This violent crackdown left at least 2 people dead and 37 seriously wounded according to the recent figures published by the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors (CCSD). The wounded people have been taken to Royal care, Zaitoona and Fedail hospitals for medical treatment.
In the afternoon of 10 May, a significant number of armed security forces were deployed on the streets leading to the army headquarters in Khartoum to prevent the demonstrators from organizing for the anniversary of the 3 june massacre.
The two people killed are:
- Osman Ahmed Bader Eldeen (male)
- Modasir Moukhtar (male)
The policing of assemblies must respect the exercise of the right to peacefully assemble and restrict the use of force to extremely necessary circumstances, in line with international standards. Sudanese authorities should ensure law enforcement agencies comply with international standards on the use of force. It should be made clear that arbitrary or abusive use of force by security forces will be punished.
Further, the enjoyment of freedom peaceful assembly, association and expression by Sudanese citizens is very crucial for the transition into a civilian-led government. We urge Sudanese authorities to respect these rights as guaranteed in the 2019 Constitutional Charter and international treaties ratified by Sudan.
The response from the Sudanese authorities towards the assembly commemorating the 3 June is massacre raises concerns about the continued reliance on repressive tactics to disrupt peaceful assembly.
ACJPS also reiterates its calls to the Transitional Government to:
- Respect and ensure the right to peacefully assemble.
- Investigate the abusive use of force including the killings and injuring of protests with an aim to identify and hold perpetrators accountable,
- Ensure access to free treatment and rehabilitation to individuals injured through the violent dispersal by the authorities.
- Refrain from deploying armed forces and government-sponsored militias including Rapid Support Forces to disperse peaceful gatherings
- Ensure police and other security services policing demonstrations or performing other law enforcement duties receive adequate training and caution on the use of force in line with UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.
Background
In 2019, pro-democracy protesters held a peaceful sit-in in front of the military headquarters in Khartoum to demand for the resignation of Omar al Bashir. Al Bashir was deposed in April 2019, but protesters continued with the sit-in demanding for the transfer of power to a civilian government by the military. On 3 June 2019, national security agencies violently dispersed the sit-in killing hundreds and injuring several. At the end of 2019, an investigation committee was established to investigate the 3rd June massacre. The findings of the committee are yet to be published.
For further information, contact Mossaad Mohamed Ali at: mossaad.ali@acjps.org
