On Sunday, May 3, 2020, forces affiliated to the Ministry of Interior, represented by the Rescue and Operations Police in the city of Gedaref; the capital of Gedaref State in Eastern Sudan, used excessive force to break up a protest gathering by a number of citizens in front of the Zakat building in the Gedaref Market.
The Sudanese Human Rights Group (Huqooq) monitors in the city of Gedaref stated that “There was a protest by a number of women in front of the Zakat building because the office was late in handing them their financial dues (seven thousand Sudanese pounds) that they were promised previously. Police forces intervened and dispersed the protest using batons and tear gas”. Huqooq observed that a number of citizens suffered injuries ranging from minor to moderate, the most violent of which was the injuries sustained by Al-Mughira Abdul Qadir (29 years old), who suffered a fracture in the right hand in addition to several bruises.
Huqooq monitors in the city of Gedaref indicated that the severe injuries suffered by Al-Mughira were a result of being targeted directly by the police forces under the orders of the commander of the force that dispersed the protest for photographing the excessive violence by the police in dispersing the protest. Al-Mughira was targeted for being an active member in the central office of the state’s Resistance Committees. (Attached to the report are photographs showing the injuries sustained by Al-Mughira).
The Sudanese Human Rights Group (Huqooq) calls on the Sudanese judicial authorities to open an investigation to track violations of the Sudanese police forces, and its use of excessive and unjustified violence against protesters. We also appeal to the Sudanese Ministry of Interior to work to rehabilitate the police forces, especially the Rescue and Operations Unit and monitor their performance in measures they implement to prevent gatherings related to the emergency law currently in force in the country.