UN expert vows to raise situation of detained Sudanese activists

February 12, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – The United Nations Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan, Aristide Nononsi, Sunday vowed to follow up the situation of detained human rights and political activists the country.

Nononsi is in Khartoum since Friday in his third mission to the country from 10 to 22 February 2017 to assess the efforts undertaken by the Sudanese government to comply with its international human rights obligations.

His conducts his third visit after a spate of detentions and prosecutions against opposition and rights activists in November and December of last year to abort calls for general disobedience in protest of lifting of fuel subsidies.

Speaking to reporters in Khartoum following a meeting with Sudanese MPs, the expert said his 12-day visit includes Darfur and the Two Areas of South Kordofan and Blue Nile as well as a number of prisons in the country.

Nononsi said he asked to meet three activists and rights defenders detained in the country. Observers expect that Mudawi Ibrahim is among them.

“I will assess the conditions of imprisonment of prisoners at Alhuda Prison in (Omdurman), and other prisons, and if the political environment allows it, I will meet with politicians and Academic community to discuss the human rights situation,” he further said.

The independent expert will visit Sorotony camp for IDPs from Jebel Marra in North Darfur and El Geneina of South Darfur state.

“This exchange of information will allow me to identify key challenges, as well as technical and capacity building needs that require to be addressed in order for the Government to fulfil its human rights obligations,” he said in a statement released in Geneva before his arrival to Sudan.

Nononsi further said he would follow up “on the implementation by the Government of the Sudan of its human rights obligations, in light of the recommendations made to the Sudan by all human rights mechanisms, including those contained in my report of September 2016 to the Human Rights Council”.

The statement of 8 February further pointed he ‘will meet with relevant stakeholders, including the Sudanese authorities, civil society actors, academia, community leaders, members of the diplomatic corps, and UN entities in order to discuss the steps undertaken by the authorities to improve the human rights situation’.

(ST)