Lawyers speak about enforced disappearance cases despite lift of state of emergency in Sudan

June 8, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – Emergency Lawyers in Sudan disclosed the increase of enforced disappearance cases after the lift of the state of emergency in Sudan.

The group of lawyers who offer legal assistance to the political detainees and activists met on Wednesday with the members of the Trilateral Mechanism, UNITAMS head, the African Union and IGAD envoys, to brief them about the human rights situation in the country.

Following the meeting, they issued a statement saying they extensively briefed the facilitating mechanism about the continued human rights violations in the country after the official lift of the state of emergency.

The human rights lawyers said the security services continue to enforce measures to clamp down on activists under the cover of local laws and orders

“The enforced disappearances increased after the lifting of the state of emergency in the country,” reads the statement.

“In addition, the security services are clearly carrying out unlawful arrests, amid the rumoured existence of secret detention centres,” stressed the lawyers.

The Sudanese lawyers further said that arbitrary arrests continued until Tuesday and that dozens of activists are still held in the notorious Soba prison in Khartoum.

Also, the Sudanese courts continue to try detainees in line with the emergency legislation, they said

On June 7, 2022, Western diplomats reiterated calls to undertake confidence-building measures ensuring an effective end to the lifting of the state of emergency; release of political detainees held under emergency law.

On May 29, the head of the military-led Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan declared a state of emergency in Sudan as part of confidence-building measures to hold a dialogue conference to restore a civilian-led transition.

(ST)