Human rights in Sudan

Human rights in Sudan

Sudan has had many problems with how people are treated there. Many human rights groups have said that the Sudanese government and some militia groups have done bad things to people, especially when Omar al-Bashir was in charge.

In 2009, a big report from the United States Department of State talked about problems with how people were treated.

In 2019, the government of Sudan agreed to work with the United Nations to make things better. They opened offices to help protect people’s rights in several parts of the country. In 2020, Sudan was trying to become a democracy. The Justice Minister, Nasredeen Abdulbari, said that laws hurting people’s rights would be removed. The country’s Parliament passed new laws in July 2020 to help with this.

Abuses in conflict settings

Conflicts between the government and groups of people who wanted change caused many sad events. These fights hurt people and forced many to leave their homes.

The fighting in Darfur made life very hard for the people living there. Different groups had problems, and the government made things worse. Many people suffered because of these conflicts.

Main article: Darfur genocide (2003–2005)

Arbitrary detentions

On April 28, 2022, Human Rights Watch reported that Sudanese security forces detained people who were peacefully sharing their opinions. This was done to scare those who did not agree with the military government. Sadly, some people were treated very badly during these arrests. The United Nations Human Rights Office in Sudan said that over a thousand people, including children, were arrested in just a few months.

Slavery

Main article: Slavery in Sudan

Some groups think that unfair treatment and taking people without their permission still happens in Sudan. They believe the government supports this.

People have told stories about being hurt and separated from their families. Many who were freed show signs of being treated very badly. There are different ideas about how to stop this, but most agree that this kind of treatment exists.

Women's rights

Further information: Gender inequality in Sudan

Sudan is a developing country that still has many challenges in treating everyone equally, especially women. In 2012, an organization called Freedom House gave Sudan a low ranking for how it treats women. Although things are getting better, many rules still treat women unfairly.

There have been some positive changes recently. In 2019, after many women helped lead protests, some unfair laws were changed. For example, women no longer need permission from a man to travel, and harsh punishments like beating were stopped. In 2020, a law was passed to stop a harmful practice called female genital mutilation, which is now punished with fines and jail time. Women in Sudan are working hard to make sure these new laws are followed and that more unfair rules are changed.

Child soldiers

Sudan has had big problems with children being forced to fight in wars. Many young boys and girls were taken from their homes or tricked into joining armed groups. They were made to carry weapons and do dangerous jobs in battles. Some were told they would go to school but were trained to fight instead. These children had no choice and were forced to follow orders because they were afraid. This has been a big challenge for keeping children safe in Sudan.

Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers child soldier

Abusive treatment of prisoners

After an attack on Khartoum in May 2008, many adults and children were put in prison. Human Rights Watch said that the government did not tell anyone where these people were kept. When some prisoners were released, they showed signs of being hurt. Stories from interviews showed that many had been treated very badly.

In July 2020, a harsh punishment called flogging was stopped.

Persecution of human rights advocates

From 2003 to 2011, a man named Mudawi Ibrahim Adam was often arrested for his work to help people in Sudan. Many groups around the world spoke up for him, saying he was just trying to do good work.

On March 5, 2009, the same day a leader named Omar al-Bashir faced serious accusations, the Sudanese government closed down Mudawi's group and took over its offices. They also sent away several international groups that were helping people in the country. Mudawi and his group fought this in court and won in 2010, but the government still would not let them open their offices or do their work again.

Religious persecution

Main article: Freedom of religion in Sudan

Further information: Apostasy in Islam § Sudan

Two pastors were arrested by Sudanese authorities in 2014 and 2015. They were charged with crimes under old laws.

In July 2020, Sudan changed some of its laws. These changes made it easier for people to change their religious beliefs and allowed non-Muslims to drink alcohol. A U.S. group praised these changes but asked for more updates to the country's laws.

Historical situation

The chart below shows Sudan's ratings each year since 1972 in the Freedom in the World reports by Freedom House. The ratings range from 1, meaning "free," to 7, meaning "not free."

LGBT rights

Main article: LGBT rights in Sudan

People in Sudan who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender have faced unfair laws. In the past, Sudan's laws made same-sex relationships a crime with very harsh punishments. In July 2020, these laws changed. The old rules that could lead to serious punishments like long jail time or even death were removed. Now, the punishment for these actions is prison time, ranging from five years to life. This change was seen as a positive step, but many believe the laws should change more to make sure everyone is treated equally.

International treaties

Sudan's positions on international human rights treaties are listed here. These treaties are agreements between countries to protect important rights for everyone.