Open Letter concerning excessive use of force by Sudanese authorities
The Sudan Democracy First Group (SDFG) has addressed an “Open Letter concerning excessive use of force by Sudanese authorities” to Sudanese, African, and UN actors in the field of human rights. The letter is signed by 39 organisations and individuals.
The Sudan Democracy First Group (SDFG) has addressed an “Open Letter concerning excessive use of force by Sudanese authorities” to Sudanese, African, and UN actors in the field of human rights. The letter is signed by 39 organisations and individuals.
The SDFG is an umbrella group of leading Sudanese independent and democratic civil society and media actors.
The letter reads: “We are writing to inform you of the use of excessive force by Sudanese authorities to disperse peaceful demonstrators across Sudan. At least nine people, including one child, have been killed in three separate incidents in 2016 alone. Most recently, two students were killed in separate incidents in April, in which government security forces and armed students used live ammunition to break up protests at two university campuses.
“We are concerned that government forces will continue to use excessive force against protesters and to arbitrarily detain those who participate in them as they have done repeatedly since 2011.
“The April incidents are the latest examples of an ongoing pattern of abuse. In September 2013 government forces used live ammunition to break up peaceful protests, killing more than 170 protesters. They also detained at least 800 protesters without charge during the crackdown in late September and early October, and subjected many to ill-treatment in detention.”
and then