UN rights office warns of ‘dangerous tipping point’ as abuses surge in Sudan
GENEVA /KHARTOUM (18 February 2025) *- The UN Human Rights Office on Friday warned that Sudan is approaching a “dangerous tipping point” as the number of human rights violations and abuses has surged since last October’s military coup.
In a statement, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said it had documented 102 killings, including 10 children and two women, as well as 719 injuries in the context of the anti-coup protests.
“We are deeply concerned that the situation in Sudan is deteriorating rapidly and is approaching a dangerous tipping point,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. “The excessive use of force by security forces against peaceful protesters is unacceptable and must stop immediately.”
The OHCHR said it had also received reports of arbitrary arrests and detention, torture, ill-treatment, and sexual violence against protesters.
“We call on the Sudanese authorities to respect the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, and to ensure that those responsible for human rights violations and abuses are held accountable,” said Türk.
The OHCHR also called on the international community to take urgent action to prevent further bloodshed and to support the Sudanese people in their quest for democracy and human rights.
The military coup on October 25, 2023, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has been met with widespread condemnation from the international community. The coup has reversed Sudan’s fragile democratic transition and has plunged the country into a political and economic crisis.
The UN Security Council has called for the immediate restoration of civilian rule in Sudan. The African Union has also suspended Sudan’s membership and has threatened sanctions if the military does not hand over power to a civilian government.
The Sudanese people have continued to take to the streets to protest the coup and to demand the restoration of democracy. The protests have been met with a violent crackdown by the security forces.
The UN Human Rights Office said that the situation in Sudan is “increasingly alarming” and that the international community must take urgent action to prevent further bloodshed.
Background:
Sudan has been in a state of political turmoil since the 2019 overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir, who had ruled the country for 30 years. A transitional government was established in 2019, but it was dissolved in October 2023 when the military seized power.
The military coup has been condemned by the international community, and the United Nations has called for the immediate restoration of civilian rule. The African Union has also suspended Sudan’s membership and has threatened sanctions if the military does not hand over power to a civilian government.
The Sudanese people have continued to take to the streets to protest the coup and to demand the restoration of democracy. The protests have been met with a violent crackdown by the security forces.
The UN Human Rights Office has warned that Sudan is approaching a “dangerous tipping point” as the number of human rights violations and abuses has surged since last October’s military coup. The Office has called on the Sudanese authorities to respect the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, and to ensure that those responsible for human rights violations and abuses are held accountable.**
UN rights office warns of ‘dangerous tipping point’ as abuses surge in Sudan
The AI has provided us with the news.
I asked Google Gemini the following question.
Peace and Security a new article on 2025-02-18 12:00 titled “UN rights office warns of ‘dangerous tipping point’ as abuses surge in Sudan”. Please write a detailed article on this news item, including any relevant information. Answers should be in English.
68