Regarding the Arbitrary Detention of Citizens from Darfur in Sudan

Al Fajar for Peace, Development, and Justice expresses its deep concern over the continued detention of several Sudanese citizens from the Darfur region, who have been held for more than five months without formal charges or trial, and under harsh detention conditions that violate international human rights standards.

The detainees are:

1. Badr Al-Din Ahmed Adam Ibrahim

2. Ibrahim Adam Ibrahim Adam

3. Musa Amin Ibrahim Adam

4. Ahmed Suleiman Ibrahim Adam

5. Abu Al-Qasim Ahmed Mohammed

Date of arrest: April 26, 2025

Place of arrest: Al-Tawahin – Abu Hamad

Current place of detention: Abu Hamad Police Headquarters

The Organization affirms that all the above-mentioned detainees are civilian workers engaged in artisanal gold mining, and that no evidence has been presented linking them to any armed or political activity.

Although they were subjected to investigation, no charges have been filed against them. Nevertheless, they remain in detention to this day, suffering from severe health and humanitarian conditions, to the extent that some of them can no longer stand on their feet due to medical neglect and lack of proper care.

Al Fajar for Peace, Development, and Justice views this detention — which was carried out under the so-called “Law of Strange Faces” — as a clear violation of the right to liberty and personal security, and a breach of the principles of justice and equality before the law.

This detention constitutes discrimination based on ethnic and tribal identity, contrary to Sudan’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

Position of the Organization

The Organization, in line with its mandate to defend justice and human dignity, strongly condemns the policy of arresting individuals based on their identity or geographic origin.

It affirms that such practices contravene international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, and pose a serious threat to social peace and the unity of Sudanese society.

Demands and Recommendations

Al Fajar for Peace, Development, and Justice calls upon the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to take the following actions:

1. Urgently demand the immediate and unconditional release of the five detainees and ensure their physical and psychological safety.

2. Condemn the policy of detention based on identity and tribal affiliation, as it constitutes a discriminatory practice in violation of international human rights norms.

3. Establish an independent international investigation committee to examine the circumstances of the detention and hold those responsible for the violations accountable.

4. Ensure international monitoring of detention facilities in Sudan to prevent the recurrence of such violations.

5. Urge the Sudanese authorities to fully comply with international humanitarian law and to respect the rights of all citizens without discrimination.

Conclusion

Al Fajar for Peace, Development, and Justice reiterates that respect for the rule of law and the preservation of human dignity form the true foundation for achieving lasting and just peace in Sudan.

The Organization calls upon the international community to assume its moral and legal responsibilities to guarantee the immediate release of the detainees and to put an end to all forms of discrimination and arbitrary detention.

Issued by:

Al Fajar for Peace, Development, and Justice

Sweden – September 2025

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As part of the ongoing session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Federation of Sudanese Human Rights Centres submitted an oral statement under item 5 expressing its deep concern over the grave and systematic violations committed by the Sudanese army and allied militias against civilians across Sudan. The Federation stressed that these violations amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, including extrajudicial killings, widespread sexual violence, ethnic cleansing, and obstruction of humanitarian aid.

The statement presented reads as follows:

Mr. President,
We wish to express to this esteemed Council our deep concern regarding the grave and systematic violations committed by the Sudanese army and allied militias against civilians in many regions of Sudan, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, extrajudicial killings, widespread sexual violence, and obstruction of humanitarian aid.

Mr. President,
The Sudanese Human Rights Centres Federation, comprising 34 Sudanese human rights organization, along with international bodies, has documented horrific violations by the Sudanese army and its allies from terrorist groups and movements such as the Al-Baraa Bin Malik Organization and the Justice and Equality Movement. These include indiscriminate shelling of residential areas, systematic rape, forced displacement, and ethnic cleansing campaigns, among other crimes committed particularly in January 2025 in Darfur, Al-Jazira, and Kombo, which resulted in the killing of more than 700 civilians, including women and children.

We call on the Human Rights Council to refer these violations, crimes against humanity, and war crimes committed by the Sudanese army to the International Criminal Court. We also urge the opening of a special discussion to establish the responsibility of the military leadership in Port Sudan for violations committed against civilians, the obstruction of UN mechanisms, and their refusal to cooperate.

Thank you, Mr. President.

The Federation’s statement makes clear that the Sudanese army’s campaign of atrocities is systematic. The ethnic cleansing, mass killings, and sexual violence deliberately directed against civilians need to be looked at in a much more serious light. By documenting these crimes and linking them to terrorist movements aligned with the army, the Federation underscores the gravity of the threat to peace and security in Sudan.

By calling for a referral to the International Criminal Court and a special discussion on the responsibility of military leadership in Port Sudan, the Federation has placed accountability at the forefront. The message is unambiguous: justice and accountability are essential if the suffering of Sudanese civilians is to end, and if the credibility of this Council is to be preserved.

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As part of the ongoing session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Federation of Sudanese Human Rights Organizations submitted an oral statement under item 5 expressing its deep concern over the grave and systematic violations committed by the Sudanese army and allied militias against civilians, stressing that these amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. The statement highlighted the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where more than 30 million people face acute food insecurity, half of them women and children

The statement presented reads as follows:

Mr. President,
We wish to express to this esteemed Council our deep concern regarding the grave and systematic violations committed by the Sudanese army and allied militias against civilians, which amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly the so-called “Alsayad Force,” responsible for the use of chemical and internationally prohibited weapons against civilians.

The Sudanese army has carried out ethnic massacres, used internationally banned weapons, and deliberately targeted civilians and vital civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals. Numerous reports have documented horrific violations, including arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, the besiegement of areas, and obstruction of humanitarian aid delivery, causing immense human suffering and the spread of famine that has reached catastrophic levels, according to United Nations reports for 2025, with over 30 million people facing acute food insecurity, half of them women and children.

Mr. President,
We stress the need to strengthen the work of the Independent Investigative Committee mandated to document violations. We also urge the Council to demand full cooperation by the Sudanese army with United Nations mechanisms, and to end impunity through the imposition of strict international sanctions. We further emphasize that achieving peace requires the activation of measures to ensure justice, the protection of civilians, and the end of the suffering of the Sudanese people.

Thank you, Mr. President.

The Federation’s statement does more than recount violations, it also frames them within international law as war crimes and crimes against humanity. By highlighting chemical weapons, ethnic massacres, and deliberate starvation, it demonstrates that the crisis in Sudan is not accidental but systematic.

By calling for the strengthening of the Independent Investigative Committee, strict sanctions, and cooperation with UN mechanisms, the Federation placed accountability at the centre of peace. The closing words leave no doubt. That Sudan will not know peace without justice, and the suffering of civilians must be ended through decisive international action.

The Federation of Sudanese Human Rights Organizations has posed a direct challenge to the credibility of the United Nations: either act to protect Sudanese civilians, or allow this catastrophe to stand as a lasting stain on the conscience of the international community.

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Geneva / Human Rights Council

Within the framework of the participation of the Federation of Sudanese Human Rights Centres and the Dawn Organization for Peace, Development and Human Rights in the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, an oral statement was delivered on behalf of Sudanese human rights organizations during the interactive dialogue, under item 4of the Council’s agenda.

The statement raises concerns over the Sudanese army and allied militias’ alleged use of chemical, incendiary, and cluster weapons against civilians in 2024 – 2025. It describes the severe human toll of these attacks, including deaths, horrific injuries, mass displacement, and psychological trauma, stressing that such actions violate international law and amount to war crimes. The appeal calls on the council to condemn the violations, initiate an independent investigation and forensic analysis, refer Sudan to the international criminal court, impose sanctions on those responsible, provide urgent medical and psychological support for survivors.

The statement, delivered by the Federation on behalf of several Sudanese human rights organizations and civil society institutions, read as follows:

Mr. President,

There is growing documented evidence of the Sudanese army and allied militias using chemical and internationally prohibited weapons. According to eyewitness testimonies, medical personnel, and human rights organizations, civilian areas were targeted in 2024 and early 2025 with bombs and shells emitting suffocating gases with pungent odours, causing symptoms of asphyxiation and horrific burns, acts that amount to war crimes under the Rome Statute.

Mr. President,
In addition to the chemical weapons deployed by the Sudanese army. The army has used cluster munitions and internationally banned incendiary weapons. More than 129 bombings have been documented, accompanied by unusual phenomena such as victims’ bodies being burned, disfigured, and swollen. These attacks triggered mass displacement and inflicted severe psychological and physical trauma, compounding civilians’ suffering and depriving them of essential care. Such acts constitute a flagrant violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and international humanitarian law.

Mr. President, 

We urge this esteemed Council to condemn these crimes and to launch an independent international investigation that includes field visits and forensic evidence analysis, and to refer Sudan’s case to the International Criminal Court. We further call for the imposition of international sanctions on those responsible, the provision of urgent medical and psychological support to survivors, and the adoption of decisive measures to prevent the recurrence of such atrocities that threaten the conscience of the international community.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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Press Release
For Immediate Release
26 September 2025 

Since April 2023, Sudan has been caught in a severe conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). What started in Khartoum has quickly spread throughout the country, including Darfur, West Kordofan, and Al Jazira. The war has led to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises: over 150,000 people killed, more than 10.5 million displaced, and 25 million pushed into extreme food insecurity. 

As the fighting has escalated, so too have the tactics. Reports document indiscriminate aerial bombardments, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and deliberate targeting of markets, hospitals, schools, and water sources. Most alarmingly, there is growing evidence that the Sudanese Armed Forces have deployed chemical weapons against civilian populations. Victims and eyewitnesses describe symptoms such as respiratory distress, burns, neurological damage, and water contamination — all consistent with exposure to toxic agents like chlorine gas. 

Throughout the year, international concern has been mounting, on 22 May 2025,the United States government imposed sanctions on Sudan after determining its forces had used chemical weapons in 2024, in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and independent media have documented similar patterns of abuse. In response to the escalating atrocities despite the above mentioned pressure, Sudanese Alliance for Rights (SAR) has launched a coordinated campaign for justice and accountability through multiple international mechanisms. 

SAR has requested urgent technical assistance and an independent fact-finding mission. The OPCW is the treaty body mandated to uphold the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), to which Sudan is a State Party. By engaging the OPCW, SAR seeks internationally recognised verification of chemical weapons use through accredited laboratories and chain-of-custody investigations. This step is critical not only to confirm violations but also to ensure that evidence gathered can be relied upon in legal proceedings at the regional and international level. 

SAR has also filed a detailed communication under Article 15 of the Rome Statute, presenting evidence based on research carried out this year, that SAF authorised and deployed chemical weapons in Darfur, Khartoum, and Al Jazira. The use of chemical weapons constitutes war crimes, and depending on intent and targeting, may also amount to crimes against humanity or genocide. By taking this case to the ICC, SAR seeks individual criminal accountability for those who ordered or enabled these attacks, ensuring that impunity at the highest levels of command is challenged. 

Additionally, SAR lodged a complaint demonstrating Sudan’s violations of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, including the rights to life, dignity, health, property, and peace. The ACHPR provides a regional accountability avenue that not only addresses state responsibility but can also issue urgent protective measures. SAR is pressing the Commission to call for an immediate halt to chemical weapons use, order reparations for victims, and demand environmental decontamination of affected areas. This regional action is vital for mobilising African institutions and states to take a stand against Sudan’s violations. 

The deliberate use of chemical weapons marks a horrifying escalation in Sudan’s war against its own people. These atrocities not only violate international law but also shatter the conscience of humanity. The Sudanese Alliance for Rights calls on the world to act decisively: to investigate, hold perpetrators accountable, and stand with the victims whose suffering must not be ignored. Justice for Sudan cannot wait. 

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Federation of Sudanese Human Rights Organisations 

Human Rights Groups Condemn Sudanese Army’s Use of Chemical Weapons and Urge Urgent International Investigation and Accountability 

 Palais des Nations, Geneva – 16-September 2025 

During the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Sudanese and international human rights organizations issued a joint statement under Agenda Item 2, warning that the Sudanese Armed Forces and allied militias have deployed chemical and internationally banned weapons against civilians in multiple regions of Sudan. The organizations stressed that these acts constitute grave breaches of international humanitarian law and pose a direct threat to international peace and security. 

Damning International Reports 

The statement cited findings by leading international organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Physicians for Human Rights, and the International Rescue Committee, in addition to field documentation by Sudanese monitoring groups and reports from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. These sources confirmed that the Sudanese army used toxic chemical agents and prohibited gases in Darfur, Kordofan, and Al-Jazira. Attacks on cities including El Fasher, Zalingei, and Nyala reportedly caused mass fatalities and injuries, with victims displaying severe symptoms such as suffocation, skin burns, temporary paralysis, and nervous system damage. 

 Systematic Use of Prohibited Weapons 

The statement emphasized that the use of chemical agents was accompanied by the army’s reliance on cluster munitions and incendiary weapons, in blatant violation of Sudan’s international obligations. It added that these violations were not isolated incidents but part of a systematic military policy designed to terrorize populations, dismantle local communities, and force mass displacement. 

 Growing International Condemnations 

The statement noted that several UN bodies and Western governments have expressed deep concern over these atrocities. Among them were the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and the International Commission of Inquiry on Sudan. Governments including Germany, France, and Canada also issued official statements condemning the use of banned weapons and calling for investigation and accountability. 

 Catastrophic Humanitarian Impact 

According to the organizations, these attacks have displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians, collapsed healthcare systems, and triggered widespread disease due to environmental contamination. The targeting of markets, hospitals, and essential infrastructure has further compounded civilian suffering and created long-term risks to public health and food security. 

 Calls for Urgent Action 

The human rights groups urged the Human Rights Council to adopt a clear resolution condemning these violations and to establish an independent investigative mechanism to gather and preserve evidence. They also called on the Council to elevate the case to the UN Security Council with a recommendation for referral to the International Criminal Court to ensure accountability for military leaders responsible. 

The statement further demanded targeted sanctions against perpetrators, the establishment of safe humanitarian corridors to enable access to medical and psychological care for victims, and direct support for Sudanese NGOs documenting violations on the ground. 

Comprehensive Arms Embargo 

The organizations stressed the need for the international community to impose a comprehensive arms embargo on the Sudanese army, arguing that the continued flow of weapons only fuels the conflict and enables further atrocities against civilians. 

 A Test of the Council’s Credibility 

Concluding their statement, the organizations warned that the continued use of chemical and prohibited weapons in Sudan sets a dangerous precedent that threatens the global regime banning such arms. They emphasized that silence or hesitation by the international community would amount to complicity and embolden perpetrators to persist in their crimes. The statement urged the Human Rights Council to act decisively and without delay to ensure justice and redress for victims, stressing that accountability is the only path to ending these atrocities and protecting Sudan’s future. 

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Human Rights Organizations: Sudanese Army Targets Humanitarian Agencies and Uses Aerial Bombardment to Intimidate Civilians and Silence the International Community 

 UN Geneva / 16 September 2025 

In a joint human rights statement delivered during the general debate under Item 2 of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s agenda, Sudanese and international organizations exposed grave war crimes and serious violations committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces and allied militias. These crimes included attacks on offices and facilities of United Nations agencies and international humanitarian organizations such as UNICEF and the World Food Programme, alongside strikes on medical facilities and Sudanese civil society organizations. The statement emphasized that such attacks form part of a systematic pattern aimed at undermining the work of the international community and silencing voices documenting violations against civilians in Sudan. 

Bombing Humanitarian Organizations and Civilian Facilities 

The statement reported that the Sudanese army deliberately bombed UNICEF and World Food Programme offices in several areas, in addition to destroying facilities of medical organizations providing essential services to the population. It stressed that these attacks constitute blatant violations of international humanitarian law, as they target organizations protected under the Geneva Conventions and dedicated exclusively to humanitarian relief. 

Sudanese and international human rights groups affirmed that these were not isolated incidents but rather part of a deliberate strategy to deprive civilians of basic aid, block access to food and medicine, and prolong the humanitarian crisis. 

Part of a Wider Pattern of Violations 

According to the statement, these attacks are consistent with a broader pattern of abuses committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces since the conflict erupted in April 2023. These include the use of internationally prohibited weapons, the bombardment of densely populated towns and cities, ethnic cleansing operations in Darfur and Al-Jazira, and systematic sexual violence against women and girls. 

The statement further highlighted those human rights defenders and members of Sudanese civil society organizations have been subjected to arbitrary arrests and intimidation campaigns, in a clear attempt to silence their voices and obstruct efforts to document crimes and promote accountability. 

 Bombardment as a Tool to Silence the International Community 

The organizations asserted that the targeting of international and humanitarian organizations reflects a clear intent by the Sudanese army to obstruct international efforts and block aid from reaching civilians. It also serves as a direct threat to the United Nations and its partners, pressuring them to retreat from their crucial role in documenting war crimes and crimes against humanity, and in advocating for justice and accountability. 

 Breach of International Law and War Crimes 

The statement underscored that these practices amount to war crimes and serious breaches of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions, which explicitly prohibit attacks on humanitarian organizations and medical facilities. It added that assaults on humanitarian workers pose a direct challenge to the international system designed to safeguard civilians during armed conflict. 

 Calls for International Action 

The human rights organizations urged the Human Rights Council to take a clear and unequivocal stance condemning these crimes and to ensure their inclusion within the mandate of the International Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan. They also called on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to document these violations in its official reports and exert greater pressure on the military authorities in Port Sudan to protect civilians and humanitarian workers. 

Furthermore, the statement called on the United Nations Security Council to act urgently by imposing targeted sanctions on military leaders implicated in these abuses and to consider referring the situation in Sudan to the International Criminal Court to guarantee that perpetrators do not escape accountability. 

A Real Test for the Human Rights Council 

Concluding their statement, Sudanese human rights groups stressed that the targeting of humanitarian organizations marks a dangerous escalation in the conflict and places the Human Rights Council before a real test of its ability to act effectively to protect civilians and ensure accountability. They warned that international silence in the face of such crimes would be interpreted as complicity and would only embolden further violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. 

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Human Rights Organisations Call for International Accountability for Crimes in Sudan and the Activation of Technical Support and Transitional Justice Mechanisms 

Geneva / September 2025 

In a joint human rights statement delivered during the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Sudanese and international human rights organizations warned of the gravity of the widespread violations and atrocities committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces and allied militias since the outbreak of war in April 2023. The organizations stressed that the scale of the atrocities, the use of prohibited weapons, and the collapse of justice institutions make Sudan a real test of the international community’s commitment to ending the entrenched policy of impunity. 

 Widespread Crimes and Systematic Violations 

The statement noted that the armed conflict in Sudan has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions internally and externally, amid documented reports of mass killings, systematic rape, and widespread torture. It further highlighted that the Sudanese Armed Forces and allied militias have used internationally prohibited weapons—including chemical weapons—against civilians in various parts of the country, causing devastating human, humanitarian, and environmental consequences. 

The statement also reported that the targeting of hospitals, schools, and crowded markets, as well as the obstruction of humanitarian aid delivery, reveals a deliberate military policy aimed at subjugating local communities and forcing mass displacement. It emphasized that women and girls have been among the primary victims of sexual violence and enslavement, while children have suffered from forced recruitment and the denial of education. 

Absence of National Justice 

Sudanese human rights organizations stressed that the ongoing gross violations face no path to accountability within Sudan itself, where the judicial system has collapsed and the courts have been politicized, rendering national justice mechanisms incapable of addressing these crimes. The statement added that the absence of political will on the part of the military authorities in Port Sudan entrenches impunity and undermines prospects for national reconciliation. 

 Responsibility of the Human Rights Council and the International Community 

The statement underscored the urgent responsibility of the Human Rights Council to ensure accountability and deliver justice to victims. It called for adequate resources to be provided to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to fully implement its international mandate, expand its programs in Sudan, and strengthen the monitoring and documentation mechanisms required. It also urged the Council to enhance the mandate of the International Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan to enable it to monitor and document violations, collect and preserve evidence of international crimes, and prepare for referrals to international judicial mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court. 

 Integrating Transitional Justice and Technical Support 

The organizations stressed the importance of adopting a comprehensive approach that incorporates principles of transitional justice into any future political process in Sudan. This includes ensuring criminal accountability, reparations for victims, institutional reform, and guarantees of non-repetition. They affirmed that providing technical, financial, and institutional support to Sudanese civil society organizations is essential for the success of these efforts. 

 Calls for International Cooperation 

The statement further called for strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation to ensure the protection of civilians and provide direct support to local organizations working on the ground, with a focus on establishing safe humanitarian corridors, extending special protection to women and children, and offering psychological and legal support to survivors of atrocities. 

 Sudan as a Test of International Commitment 

Concluding their statement, the organizations affirmed that Sudan represents a critical test of the international community’s commitment to human rights and to combating impunity. They warned that global silence or hesitation in confronting these violations will have devastating consequences for Sudan’s future and will send a dangerous message that crimes against humanity can be committed without consequence. 

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The workshop began with a presentation by a host country lawyer, who highlighted key laws and regulations related to asylum, and how Uganda aligns its human rights laws with local legislation, along with citizenship, land, property laws, and educational systems.

Audience engagement was fantastic! Participants raised many questions about topics such as loss of asylum eligibility, rental issues, and resettlement opportunities, underscoring the critical need for awareness of the host country’s laws and regulations.

Attendees also shared challenges they faced upon arriving in Uganda, including instances of extortion by police and security forces. This highlights the urgent need for community education about their rights.

The attendees expressed their gratitude to the African Organization for Rights and Development for its vital role in alleviating the crises faced by the Sudanese community through various activities, including psychological support initiatives like Zumba, cycling, pottery, women’s volleyball, and swimming.

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