Attachments
Human Rights Abuses in Sudan over the Month of October 2016 Overview
During the month of October 2016, SUDO (UK)’s network of human rights monitors reported and verified 51 incidents of human rights abuses across five Sudanese States. A further two reports were submitted concerning the release of 64 suspected SPLM/A-N members following their trial at a Special Terrorism Court in Singa city, as well as the dropping of all charges against Alaa El-Din Babiker, a journalist for Rayaam newspaper.
Enclosed within the 51 reports, SUDO (UK) has assessed that forces under the direct control of the Government of Sudan2 were responsible – as individual entities – for 25 instances of human rights abuses, whilst various militias known collectively as Janjaweed (7), pro-government3 (9) or unknown (9) were responsible for 25 such abuses. The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army – North (SPLM/A-N) was responsible for four human rights abuses. In various incidents, multiple perpetrators collaborated to carry out abuses, hence the identification of 54 participants for 51 abuses.
The 51 reports detail the following: the death of 14 civilians and the wounding of 19; four instances of sexual violence; six abductions; the arrest of 13 civilians (including one journalist), one instance of which resulted from information obtained by torture; 14 incidents involving looting; and four instances of direct attacks on civilian villages. The 51 reports further note four incidents relating to a clampdown on political activity, including two instances of violent dispersal of protest and two cases where civilians were prevented from convening a meeting. One report contained both a violent dispersal and the prevention of a meeting.
Finally, 12 of the 51 reports focussed on issues relating to media freedom, details included: seven instances of censorship relating to four newspaper confiscations, one threat pertaining to the publishing of information and the withdrawal of two books from sale at the Khartoum International Book Fair; three trials of journalists; one summoning of a journalist; and one arrest as mentioned previously.