A United Nations report highlights widespread arbitrary detention, torture, and ill-treatment by the RSF and SAF in Khartoum State amidst ongoing conflict. Tens of thousands, including children, face dire conditions and enforced disappearances. The report calls for immediate action to end these human rights violations and urges international engagement.
A recent United Nations report reveals alarming patterns of arbitrary detention, torture, and mistreatment of detainees by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Khartoum State, reflecting similar issues in other conflict-affected regions of Sudan. Since the conflict’s onset in April 2023, tens of thousands, including women and children, have faced detention without charge in deplorable conditions with restricted family contact.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed deep concern, stating, “The widespread practices of arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment of detainees, and inhumane conditions of detention facilities, in contravention of international norms and standards, are deeply disturbing.” He further emphasized that no individual should endure such violations of human rights.
The report, covering up until June 2024, is based on testimonies from 34 interviewees comprising former detainees, witnesses, and family members. Former detainees described harrowing experiences, including severe beatings, overcrowded conditions, and inadequate access to basic needs, which have contributed to numerous deaths in custody due to lack of medical care.
There are also grave concerns regarding the exploitation of children, as young as 14 years old, serving as guards and the detention of minors alongside adults in RSF facilities. Reports indicate sexual violence against women detainees and discriminatory treatment based on ethnicity, with individuals from Darfur and Kordofan regions facing heightened abuses.
Testimonies illustrate cases of enforced disappearances, where families were left uninformed regarding their relatives’ detainment conditions. One family was infamously told to “Don’t ask about him,” only to learn later that their relative had died.
The report highlights similar practices throughout other parts of Sudan as confirmed by the UN Human Rights Office. Recently documented transfers of detainees by RSF to alternate locations raise further questions about their fate and safety. Türk remarked, “These practices are deeply concerning… they undermine due process and the rule of law.”
The report demands the cessation of arbitrary detention, torture, and ill-treatment, urging improved conditions in detention facilities and better access to justice. It also calls on the international community to intervene and address these human rights abuses comprehensively.
In summary, the UN report underscores severe human rights violations occurring within detention facilities in Khartoum State, including arbitrary detention, torture, and inhumane conditions. Access to justice remains hindered, with cases of enforced disappearances reported. The international community is urged to engage proactively to combat these abuses and uphold human rights principles.
Original Source: reliefweb.int
