Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9) South Sudan, Africa’s youngest nation, has been struggling with civil strife, armed conflict and a deplorable state of human rights and the rule of law before and after its independence in 2011. South Sudan came to international attention in the early [...]
Search Results for: Bashir
'Widespread democratic backsliding' an obstacle to African governance, report finds
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation (MIF) Wednesday released its 2022 Index of African Governance, noting that governance across the African continent has “flatlined” since 2019. The report cited deteriorating security and movements to undermine the rule of law as reasons for the stagnation, and warned the lack of progress could seriously jeopardize the African Union’s Agenda [...]
US national Mark Frerichs released in Taliban prisoner exchange
The Taliban Monday released American Mark Frerichs after more than two years in captivity. US President Joe Biden negotiated a prisoner swap and exchanged Bashir Noorzai, an associate of the Taliban, for Frerichs. In a statement, Biden explained “ringing the negotiations that led to Mark’s freedom to a successful resolution required difficult decisions, which I [...]
Sudan court begins trial of four protesters accused of killing police officer
A Sudanese court Sunday began the trial of four Sudanese protesters accused of killing a high-ranking police officer in January. The judge ordered a medical examination of the accused to investigate allegations they were tortured in jail and deferred the hearing to June 12. The fatality took place in months of unrest following the October [...]
Protests continue in Sudan as diplomatic resolutions disintegrate
Sudanese Military Thursday fired tear gas and stun grenades at protestors as attempts at a peaceful resolution to unrest have fallen apart. According to a press release from the Khartoum State Resistance Committees, the protestors intended to march from Jackson Station, Al Qandul Square, and the Stadium to the Republican Palace in Khartoum. Current political [...]
US Treasury Department sanctions Sudan Central Reserve Police over human rights abuses
The US Department of the Treasury announced that it imposed sanctions Monday on the Republic of the Sudan Central Reserve Police (CRP) for serious human rights abuse. Under the sanctions, the Central Reserve Police will have any US-based assets frozen, and Americans will be banned from dealing with them. “Since the October 25 military takeover, [...]
Putin Has No “Off-Ramp” For Using Cluster Munitions in Urban Areas
Before February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin had an “off ramp.” He could have withdrawn troops from Russia’s border with Ukraine and slinked away to an island. However, several developments have eliminated the possibility of an “off ramp.” On February 28, 2022, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan announced he opened an investigation into “alleged war [...]
UN rights office calls for inquiry into Sudan security force sexual assaults
The UN Human Rights Office said Tuesday that it has received allegations of security forces raping or gang-raping 13 women and girls during the protests in Khartoum on December 19, 2021. The demonstrations on December 19 were held to commemorate the third anniversary of the protests that started in December 2018 and eventually culminated in [...]
The Khartoum District Court has ordered the country’s three main telecommunication providers—Zain, MTN and Sudani—to restore internet services immediately, after more than two weeks of internet shutdown following a coup by military leaders, according to Reuters. In the early hours of October 25, Sudan’s military dissolved the government and the Sovereign Council, a joint military and [...]
UN Human Rights Council condemns Sudan coup and appoints expert to monitor rights violations
Two weeks after a military coup seized power in Sudan, the United Nation’s Human Rights Council voted Friday to condemn the coup and appoint an expert to monitor abuses in Sudan. The British-introduced resolution called for the restoration of the civilian-led government and the release of “all those who have been arbitrarily detained since the takeover [...]