Continued Violent Crackdown Means Rejection of UN Efforts to End Sudan’s Crisis: FFC

UNITAMS head Volker Perthes pose with FFC leaders after a meeting on February 8, 2022 (UNITAMS photo)

February 18, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The continuation of human rights violations and arbitrary detention in Sudan means rejection of the UN efforts to restore civilian-led democratic transition, said the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) Friday on Friday.

The FFC leadership met with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan Volker Perthes as he concludes the first phase of consultations aiming to facilitate a Sudanese-led dialogue process.

Also, it took place after a meeting with the Head of the Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to discuss the need to create a suitable atmosphere and to end violent repression and detention of FFC leaders and pro-democracy activists.

In a statement released after the meeting, the FFC said they voiced deep concern about the increasing extra-judicial detention of activists and the grave violations of human rights in the country.

Also, they spoke about the torture of some detainees like Tobac, a Sudanese youth accused of killing a senior police officer under questionable circumstances. His mother said they pierced his feet with four nails.

During the meeting with the UNITAMS head, the FFC leaders pointed to the continuation of the coup leaders to confront the pro-democracy protests with bloody repression, arrests, pursuits and other violations as well as threats against journalists to arrest them or close their newspapers.

“All these practices confirm that the coup d’état authority continues its authoritarian approach and does not want any political process to end the coup and restore legitimacy,” said the statement.

“The coup d’état regime condemns this process to death unless it ends these brutal and repressive practices that violate freedoms and the rights of citizens,” stressed the FFC.

The military leaders say they are committed to the democratic transition.

At the same time, they accuse the protesters of attacks on the security forces. Also, the head of the Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan recently accused a third party of killing protesters without elaborating.

On Sunday, UN Expert on Human Rights in Sudan will arrive in Khartoum to discuss the human rights situation with the Sudanese officials, civil society groups and political leaders.

(ST)