Sudan’s Violent Protests Raise International Reaction
19-1-2022
Cătălina Gemănari
Africa and Human Rights Researcher,
Global Human Rights Defence.
On Monday, 17 January 2022, Sudanese protesters showed up on the streets of Khartoum and other cities to continue protesting against the October coup. Police have tackled the protesters by firing tear gas and blocking their way to the presidential palace. The protesters were demonstrating against the military coup from October and the deal that enabled the military to be part of the transitional council formed after the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir. On 25th October 2021, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan dissolved the military-civilian Sovereign Council that had been guiding the country since the overthrow. The Monday demonstrations are regarded as the bloodiest amongst past demonstrations following the coup. According to the UN Special Representative Volker Perthes, seven people have been killed by the Sudanese forces. In their effort to convince the parties to refrain from the use of violence, nine UN Security Council members underlined the importance of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. The UN Secretary-General encouraged dialogue and political understanding to be put in place. A Sudanese protest group also rejected the United Nations initiative to talk with the military. This comes after Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok resigned, motivating his decision on account of the failure to reach a middle ground with the generals and the pro-democracy movement in the country.
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