This archive report was first published on 19 November 2021.
On Wednesday, Sudan's capital city, Khartoum, witnessed a violent crackdown on protesters, resulting in several deaths and injuries. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from human rights groups and the international community.
According to reports, the police were forced to respond to the protesters after they charged at them with violence. However, the police chief, Lieutenant-General Zine El Abidine Othman, has defended their actions, stating that some of the demonstrations in Sudan during the past days 'were not peaceful and were interspersed by attacks on the security forces.'
Othman also claimed that the police had good relations with peaceful protesters and had guarded marches that led to the ouster of former leader Omar al-Bashir in April 2019. However, this claim has been disputed by human rights groups, who have accused the police of using excessive force against civilians.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, has condemned the Sudanese security forces' use of live ammunition against peaceful demonstrators. 'The use of live ammunition again yesterday (Wednesday) against demonstrators is completely shameful,' Bachelet said in a statement.
Despite the police chief's claims, the situation in Khartoum remains tense, with protesters continuing to demand the restoration of the transitional government under Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok. The military, which toppled the government on October 25, is facing charges of brutality against civilians who are opposed to the coup.
