Sudan Emergency Lawyers: ‘More than 90 people continue to be detained despite lifting of State of Emergency’

Sudan’s Emergency Lawyers stated that more than 90 people continue to be detained in Soba and Rabak prison, despite the recent decision made by the President of the Sovereignty Council, Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, to lift the State of Emergency and release all detainees.

Emergency Lawyers spokesperson, Amira Mohamed, told Radio Dabanga that whilst Sudan’s junta released a number of detainees recently, the welfare of detainees in Rabak prison live is unknown as their lawyers “are prevented from visiting and learning about their conditions”.

She went on to explain that five children were released from Soba Prison recently, after more than a month of detention.

Rehab Mubarak, a lawyer who is familiar with the details of the children recently released from Soba, told Radio Dabanga’s Sudan Today programme that “detention of children alongside adults, is a clear violation of a child’s rights”.

She also appealed to the families of the children, “to contact the Emergency Lawyers and open reports of the violations they suffered under detention”.

Visiting UN expert

The United Nations (UN) Expert on Human Rights in Sudan, Adama Dieng, will begin an official visit to Sudan tomorrow, on Wednesday.

During his visit, which will end on June 4, Dieng is scheduled to meet with senior government officials, representatives of civil society organisations, human rights defenders, heads of UN agencies, and diplomats.

Dieng will continue his communication with the Sudanese authorities and follow up on the measures taken by the authorities to address the recommendations he made following his first visit, which took place in February this year.

After his visit in February, Dieng already called for the State of Emergency to be abolished and to stop the use of live ammunition against the demonstrators.

The results of this follow-up visit are set to contribute to the enhanced interactive dialogue on Sudan that will take place on 15 June 2022 during the fiftieth session of the Human Rights Council.

Dieng will also hold a press conference on June 4 at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) premises in Khartoum, starting at 10am local time.