Sudan: A UN report documenting widespread violations of thousands of detainees amid the ongoing conflict

In a report published Thursday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said that since the outbreak of the conflict, tens of thousands of people, including women and children, have been detained, without charges in “miserable and overcrowded” facilities, with limited contact or even without contact with their families.

In this context, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volcker Turk, said: “No one should be deprived of his freedom without following the due legal procedures, nor that he is subjected to any circumstances to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

The report, which covers the period from the beginning of the 15th conflict in April 2023 to June 2024, is based on 34 interviews with former detainees, witnesses and individuals from families, have narrated their experiences of the Commission.

Former detainees presented reliable accounts Dragon cases of torture and ill -treatment, including severe and repeated multiplication in detention facilities. They also described the miserable conditions in the severely crowded detention facilities, the limited access to sewage services, and insufficient food and water.

They said that Many detainees died in detention due to the lack of treatment in the facilities of the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces.

The report also documents The use of children who are less than fourteen years of age by the Rapid Support Forces to work as a waring, especially in Soba Prison, and the detention of children not exceeding 13 years old with adults.. It was also reported Cases of violence and sexual exploitation of detainees in two detention facilities controlled by the Rapid Support Forces.

In addition, the former detainees reported that there A discriminatory treatment on the basis of the supposed race and affiliation The opposition party in the conflict, where individuals from African tribes have been tortured and abused by the rapid support forces facilities.

While it was claimed that People from Darfur and Kordofan, including those belonging to Arab tribes, were distinguished against them and exposed to detention in the facilities of the Sudanese Armed Forces on an ethnic basis And based on their supposed affiliation with the Rapid Support Forces.

While the report focuses on practices in detention facilities in the state of Khartoum, the Human Rights Commission has documented similar patterns in other parts of Sudan, including the Darfur region and the state of the island.

In recent months, with the Sudanese Armed Forces regaining control of certain areas, the office has received reliable reports that the Rapid Support Forces transported detainees from the places of detention mentioned in the report to other sites. The High Commissioner said these practices “It raises deep concern, increases the risk of violating international human rights standards and rules, and undermines due legal procedures and the rule of law.”

The High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the parties to the conflict to immediately stop the practices of arbitrary detention, torture and other misuse, improving the conditions of detention, and facilitating access to justice.

The risk of the exacerbation of the conflict and the fragmentation of the country

For his part, the UN Security Council expressed its deep concern about the signing of a charter to establish a parallel ruling authority in Sudan, and stressed that such measures “It threatens to exacerbate the conflict in Sudan, the country’s fragmentation, and the actual humanitarian situation is aggravated.”

The members of the Security Council affirmed in a statement with their strong commitment to Sudan’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, stressing that any unilateral steps would undermine these principles. “It threatens the stability of Sudan and the region on a broader scale.”

They called on the parties to the conflict to seek an immediate endowment of hostilities and engage in good faith in political dialogue and diplomatic efforts towards a permanent ceasefire.

The members of the Council also welcomed the invitation of the African Union and the Secretary -General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, to declare the ceasefire urgently during the month of Ramadan, and renewed their call to all parties to comply with its obligations stipulated in the Jeddah Declaration.

They stressed the importance of conducting a real, comprehensive and transparent national dialogue that leads to a free, honest and democratic national government, after a civilian leadership period, “To achieve the aspirations of the Sudanese people in a peaceful, stable and prosperous future, in line with the principles of national ownership.”

The Security Council urged all member states to refrain from external intervention “He seeks to fuel the conflict and instability,” Support the efforts made for permanent peace, adherence to their pledges under international law, and implement relevant Security Council resolutions.