Sudan urged to allow international support to investigation into murder of revolution martyrs
March 5, 2020 (KHARTOUM) – U.S.-based Physicians for Human Rights (PRH) has called to allow international support to the investigation committee into the bloody raid on the peaceful pro-democracy protesters on 3 June 2019.
On 21 September, Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok formed an independent investigation committee on the attack on the sit-in and appointed its members one month later on 30 October 2019.
The 7-member committee which headed by Nabil Adib had faced some logistical difficulties and requested three additional months before to submit his report.
but families of several victims of the attack on the sit-in expressed dissatisfaction with the committee and called for the inclusion of their representatives.
In a report released Friday, the PHR said urged the Sovereign Council and the government to fully support the investigation body and to accept international support.
“Permit the commission to accept support from international entities with a demonstrated record of undertaking or supporting impartial and independent efforts for justice and accountability,” recommended the report.
The 67-page report said that the brutal attack was planned, pointing out that large number troops had been pre-positioned in and around the sit-in some the days prior to the 3 June violence.
According to the report, the authorities before the attack withdrew the soldiers and militiamen who interacted with the protesters.
They were “replaced with forces that were openly hostile to protesters, including many with accents and features identified as belonging to the Rizeigat tribe from the Sudanese region of Darfur, long known for its participation in the Janjaweed militia,” the PHR says quoting the interviewees.
The report included the accounts of 30 survivors who were interviewed by PRH investigators. They gave accounts of the shooting and brutal treatment from the RSF militiamen and security forces who attacked them.
“The brutality described by interviewees was supported by PHR’s clinical evaluations of wounds of survivors of the violence,” said the rights group.
The report expressed concern about the immunity from prosecution to the security forces that perpetrated the grave violations of human rights and crimes on 3 June assault. It
“Advocates in Sudan may, therefore, find it difficult to prosecute cases against members of the armed forces, including the RSF, at the highest levels of command responsibility,” said the PHR.
The investigators who conducted worked their report in Khartoum said they obtained a list of 71 mortuary admissions for the victims killed during the period of 3 to 6 June 2019 in the Sudanese capital.
(ST)