A UN report outlines severe human rights violations in Khartoum’s detention facilities, citing arbitrary detentions, torture, and poor conditions for detainees, including minors. The findings underscore widespread abuses and discriminatory practices against specific ethnic groups, calling for immediate action and international intervention to protect human rights.
A recent United Nations report reveals severe violations of human rights concerning detainees in Khartoum State amid the ongoing conflict in Sudan. This assessment is particularly focused on arbitrary detentions, instances of torture, and the poor conditions within the detention facilities managed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
Since the outbreak of conflict in April 2023, tens of thousands of individuals, including women and children, have faced detention without charges, denied contact with their families, while being held in deplorable conditions. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed profound alarm, stating that these practices contradict international standards and emphasized that no individual should endure torture or arbitrary detention.
The report, covering the conflict period up to June 2024, is grounded in 34 testimonies from former detainees and witnesses, chronicling their dire experiences. Accounts include severe physical abuse, chronic overcrowding in facilities, and insufficient access to essential needs such as food and sanitation, resulting in avoidable fatalities due to medical neglect.
Particularly alarming is the use of minors, as young as 14, as guards in some facilities, such as Soba prison, and the detention of children alongside adults. Reports also highlight instances of sexual violence against women, particularly in RSF-run facilities, alongside systematic discrimination based on ethnicity.
The report identifies that detainees from specific regions, such as Darfur and Kordofan, are disproportionately targeted by RSF and SAF forces due to their ethnic backgrounds. Moreover, testimonies reveal the anguish of families seeking information about detained relatives, often met with ominous statements like, “Do not ask about him.”
The UN Human Rights Office notes similar human rights violations in regions beyond Khartoum, reaffirming widespread abuse across Sudan. The report further indicates transfers of detainees to varied locations amid shifts in control by SAF, raising concerns about ongoing violations.
This report strongly urges the cessation of all inhumane treatment practices and improved detention conditions while calling on the international community to actively engage with conflicting parties to halt these widespread abuses. The full report is accessible through the UN’s official website.
The UN report on detention facilities in Khartoum highlights alarming human rights violations amidst the ongoing conflict in Sudan. With arbitrary detention, torture, and inhumane living conditions reported, the urgent need for accountability and improvement in detainee treatment is emphasized. The international community is called upon to intervene and address these serious human rights concerns. Immediate actions are crucial to uphold justice and protect vulnerable populations in Sudan.
Original Source: reliefweb.int
