Sudanese MPs slate Justice Minister’s human rights report

Sudanese members of parliament have strongly criticised the report of the Minister of Justice on human rights conditions in the country.

In a parliamentary hearing, the MPs accused the newly appointed Justice Minister, Awad El Hassan El Nur, of stalling the lifting of immunity from the regular armed forces, which since amendments of the Interim Constitution in last January consist not only of the Sudanese army, but of security apparatus commanded paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, as well.

The Minister acknowledged that the immunity of the regular forces constitutes an obstacle to justice. Members of the regular forces have been accused more than once of killing and abusing civilians.

Parliament member Majdi Shamseldin described the Ministry of Justice as “weak”, and demanded perpetrators of crimes among the regular forces to be put to trial.

The MPs also pointed to the rampant insecurity in the peripheries of the country, and the large numbers of detainees being held out without legal charges or held for extensive periods without being brought to trial. They further accused the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Sudan for not carrying out tens of thousands of convictions.