85 people killed in 3-June bloody attack, says Sudan’s rights body
September 23, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The head of Sudan’s Human Rights Commission said on Tuesday that 85 people were killed and more than 400 others injured in the capital and other states during the deadly attack on the pro-democracy sit-in in front of the army headquarters in Khartoum on June.
The attack on the main protest site took place when a joint force wearing military fatigue of the Rapid Support Forces and the police stormed the peaceful protesters in the early morning of 3 June 2019 and opened fire on those who were there.
In a news conference held in Khartoum on Tuesday, the Commission’s Chairperson Hurriya Ismail said that the 85 victims were killed by live bullets at the sit-in.
“The killings of the protesters were carried out by soldiers dressed in police and the Rapid Support Force (RSF) uniforms. They used excessive force without giving any warning to those inside the sit-in,” she added.
She described what happened as “dangerous violation” of the right to life, demanding that those involved be brought to justice for this criminal offence.
On the claims of rape and sexual violence against women and men during the attack, Ismail underscored the commission has appealed to the victims to report their cases, pointing out that there are 16 allegations of sexual violence, 9 cases of rape and sexual violence in sensitive parts of the body.
However, she underlined that they didn’t receive direct complaint despite their calls but she collaborated with Ahfad Trauma Center which interviewed the victims and transferred their cases to the Commission.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok issued a decision to set up an investigation commission into abuses against demonstrators since the protests against the former regime until the brutal raid on pro-democracy sit-in last June.
The decision ensured the independence of the investigation body saying it is free from any intervention from any governmental, judicial or legal body.
An investigation committee formed by the Attorney General said last July that 87 people were killed, and 168 were wounded during the attack.
But the Forces for Freedom Change (FFC) rejected the findings of this investigation commission saying it did not identify those responsible for the raid and did not disclose the true number of victims.
The FFC didn’t issue a statement on this new report.
The current head of the national rights body was appointed by the ousted president al-Bashir.
(ST)