UN rights office warns of ‘dangerous tipping point’ as abuses surge in Sudan
GENEVA (18 February 2025) – The UN Human Rights Office on Friday warned of a “dangerous tipping point” in Sudan, as grave human rights abuses, arbitrary arrests and detentions, excessive use of force and impunity continue to escalate across the country.
“The situation in Sudan is deteriorating rapidly, with a dramatic increase in human rights violations committed by both state and non-state actors,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. “We are deeply concerned that the country is approaching a dangerous tipping point, with the potential for large-scale violence and further escalation of abuses.”
According to information received by the UN Human Rights Office, arbitrary arrests, detentions and ill-treatment of protesters, human rights defenders, journalists and political opponents have become widespread. In addition, there have been credible reports of excessive use of force, including live ammunition, by security forces against peaceful protesters, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries.
“The pattern of grave human rights violations that we are witnessing in Sudan is a clear violation of international law and must not be allowed to continue,” said Türk. “The authorities must immediately cease the excessive use of force, release all arbitrarily detained persons, and ensure accountability for the perpetrators of these abuses.”
The UN Human Rights Office also expressed grave concern about the lack of accountability for past human rights violations, including those committed during the 2019 pro-democracy protests.
“The failure to hold perpetrators of human rights violations accountable has created a climate of impunity that has fueled further abuses and undermined the rule of law,” said Türk. “The authorities must prioritize investigations into all allegations of human rights violations and prosecute those responsible, regardless of their rank or affiliation.”
The UN Human Rights Office called on the Sudanese authorities to take urgent action to address the escalating human rights crisis in the country.
“We urge the authorities to engage in meaningful dialogue with all stakeholders, including civil society organizations, and to create a conducive environment for peaceful protests and freedom of expression,” said Türk. “We also call on them to cooperate fully with the UN Human Rights Office in its efforts to monitor the situation and provide assistance to victims of human rights violations.”
ENDS
For more information and media requests, please contact: Ravina Shamdasani – +41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org Liz Throssell – +41 22 917 9466 / ethrossell@ohchr.org Jeremy Laurence – +41 22 917 9383 / jlaurence@ohchr.org
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.
59