Sudanese police violently disperse women’s day marches
March 8, 2022 – (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese security forces used tear gas and sound bombs to protesters in the vicinity of the Republican Palace in new anti-coup protests on the occasion of International Women’s Day on Tuesday.
The demonstrators took to the streets in separate areas of the capital Khartoum and gathered in several neighbourhoods, before heading to the presidential palace, where are the premises of the military-led Sovereign Council.
The security forces fired tear gas and used sound cannons to break up the demonstration when the protesters reached the vicinity of the Republican Palace.
Several protesters were injured.
A force of the Central Reserve Police pursued the protesters until Khartoum 2 neighbourhood far from the palace.
Also, the security forces fired tear gas and sound bombs to disperse protesters in Khartoum North and Omdurman.
The Head of the Sovereign Council previously stated that the security forces had been instructed to not hunt protesters outside the area surrounding the presidential palace.
The security elements also attacked and looted a journalist of the Turkish news agency Behram Abdelmunim who was covering the protests.
Sudanese journalists committee denounced the increasing and deliberate violence by the security forces against journalists after the coup of October 25, 2021.
In addition, the security forces attacked Khartoum Teaching Hospital and arrested several injured protesters and those who accompanied them.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, on Monday, said: “deeply troubled by the sharp reversal of human rights achievements following the military coup in Sudan last October”.
In an oral update to the 49th Session of the Human Rights Council, Bachelet said that more than 1000 people were arrested between 25 October 2021 and 3 March 2022.
“Shockingly, these figures include at least 144 women and 148 children. Many of those arrested and detained were subjected to ill-treatment at the time of arrest. The whereabouts of three people arrested remains unknown,” she stressed.
(ST)