Lawyers denounce illegal detention of 300 people from Darfur region
October 31, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – Lawyers group on Monday once again accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of human rights violations against civilians in North and West Darfur states including the arbitrary detention of more than 300 people.
Darfur Lawyers Association, a group of lawyers defending human rights in Sudan and Darfur particularly held a press conference held in Khartoum on Monday.
“The RSF violates the law and commits violations through arrests it carries out in illegal proceedings, and should be held accountable for these abuses,” Nafisa Hajar Deputy head of the Darfur Lawyers Association told the press conference.
Hajar further warned against the consequences of these repeated violations of human rights committed by the paramilitary force in the restive region.
The Sudanese lawyer added that over 300 people illegally arrested in North and West Darfur are imprisoned in Khartoum, Red Sea, and Shala of North Darfur.
She further reported the deteriorating health conditions of several prisoners due to the lack of health care and medication.
“Some of them are seriously ill due to the poor prison environment,” Hajar stressed.
Following the surge in intercommunal violence between several tribes in western Sudan, the SRF arrested hundreds of people involved in the clashes. However, many have been released but others remained in jail.
The deputy head of the Darfur lawyers group, also, slammed the law enforcement agencies saying they relinquished their responsibilities to the RSF which are responsible for human rights violations.
She disclosed that the IDPs in Zamzam camp of North Darfur have lodged over 5000 complaints against the RSF.
The controversial RSF led by the Deputy Chairman of the ruling Sovereign Council in Sudan have been accused of wide human rights violations in the country before and after the December revolution.
Their merger in the national army is one of the demands of the revolution and agreed in the 2019 constitutional declaration. However, their leader voiced his rejection of their integration into the national army during the two-year civilian government.
(ST)