Sudan’s justice minister, US official discuss legal reforms

February 7, 2020 (KHARTOUM) – Tibor Nagy U.S. Assistant Secretary for African affairs Thursday discussed legal reforms in Sudan with Justice Minister Nasr al-din Abdel Bari.

“Good meeting with Sudanese Minister of Justice Abdel Bari yesterday. We spoke about Sudan’s plans for legal reform,” said Nagy in a tweet on Friday.

Also, he added that the meeting discussed the ongoing investigation by the independent investigation commission into the bloody attack on the pro-democracy sit-in on 3 June 2019.

The discussion come within the framework of a process by the US administration to rescind Sudan’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

At the end of January, Abdel Bari deposited several bills proposing to amend or repeal articles from the criminal law.

The submitted proposals include the abolition of an related to the “Apostasy” and the adoption of a new article banning it in the future.

The proposals also included the deletion of the punishment of flogging, prohibition of the death penalty for children under the age of (18) years, and allowing non-Muslims to drink and trade with alcohol.

Nagy concluded his statement by recalling “the importance of establishing the Transitional Legislative Council”.

The transitional government said awaiting the signing of a peace deal with the rebel groups before the formation of the transitional parliament.

(ST)