UN Report Exposes Detention Abuses in Khartoum Amid Ongoing Sudan Conflict
A UN report highlights severe human rights violations in Khartoum State, including arbitrary detention, torture, and inhumane conditions faced by detainees, notably women and children, by the Rapid Support Forces and Sudanese Armed Forces. Concerns about ethnic discrimination and enforced disappearances are addressed, calling for immediate actions to improve detention practices and access to justice.
A recent UN report reveals alarming conditions within detention facilities in Khartoum State amid the ongoing conflict in Sudan. The report outlines prevalent practices of arbitrary detention, torture, and mistreatment of detainees by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). An estimated tens of thousands, including women and children, have been detained without charges since April 2023. The UN emphasizes the stark violation of international norms in these detention conditions.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed deep concern over these practices, highlighting that no one should face detention without due process or endure torture. The report spans from the conflict’s onset on April 15, 2023, to June 2024, and is based on testimonies from 34 individuals, including former detainees and their families, detailing their suffering in custody.
Detainees have reported horrific instances of torture, including severe beatings and inadequate living conditions, such as overcrowding and poor sanitation. The lack of medical care has led to preventable deaths among those held in RSF and SAF facilities. Additionally, children as young as 14 have been reportedly used as guards in Soba prison, while minors as young as 13 have been detained with adults.
The report highlights various abuses, including sexual violence against female detainees and discriminatory practices based on ethnicity. Detainees from Darfur and Kordofan have been particularly targeted based on perceived affiliations with different factions. Testimonies also raise alarm over enforced disappearances, with families being discouraged from inquiring about their detained relatives’ fates.
The report notes similar abusive practices occurring in other regions of Sudan, reflecting a broader crisis of human rights violations. In recent months, reports indicate that the SAF has begun transferring detainees, raising further concerns about their treatment and potential rights violations. Türk urged all parties to cease these practices and enhance detention conditions, while emphasizing the importance of access to justice.
The UN report underscores a critical humanitarian crisis in Sudan, characterized by widespread arbitrary detention, torture, and ill-treatment, particularly in Khartoum State. Systematic violations continue unabated, raising urgent concerns regarding human rights and the rule of law. The international community must engage with local authorities to address these grievances and restore dignity and justice for all detainees.
Original Source: reliefweb.int
