Latest updates

In the last few weeks, dozens of lawyers, doctors, and activists have been detained, tortured, and killed around Sudan by both fighting parties, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). During this period, arbitrary arrest campaigns intensified around the country. The whereabouts of hundreds of detainees are unknown, as they remain at risk of torture, unfair trials, and execution. Lawyers in different states face unprecedented crackdowns impacting the detainees' right to legal aid.

Civil society calls on the international community to protect civilians and to urge fighting parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law. This includes ending all forms of targeting of civilians on the basis of ethnic or political affiliations. Civil society further calls for fair trials and an end to the death penalty in Sudan.

Human rights groups urge action to protect Sudanese refugees, especially women and girls, according to the 1951 Refugee Convention on non-refoulment.

Over a hundred civil society groups and organisations urge the UN Security Council to take urgent action to protect civilians in Sudan. Read the joint letter below.

Following the presentation of the Activity Reports of the Special Rapporteur on Women at the African Commission, ISHR echoed a collective call for the protection of women human rights defenders in Sudan.

After a year at war, Sudan is witnessing unprecedented violence and targeted attacks on civil society and local responders, with dozens of activists and local volunteers arrested, threatened and prosecuted in several states during in recent weeks. We reiterate our call for ceasefire, restoration of communications and cease of attacks against health facilities.

During the Human Rights Council's debate on the High Commissioner's report detailing the horrific violations and abuses by warring parties in Sudan, ISHR supported Sudanese woman defender Tahani Abbas to engage with the HRC. Read the full joint statement and key messages below.

Civil society organisations demand a swift, decisive action and a comprehensive investigation into the crisis in South Kordofan, Sudan, highlighting the urgent need for global intervention.

Civil society is deeply concerned about reports of shrinking civic space, attacks on freedom of expression, rising militarisation, and ongoing communication disruptions in Sudan, threatening the work of women human rights defenders and women’s rights groups. Read ISHR's and other NGOs' calls to action in the joint letter below.

Nine NGOs delivered a joint statement on the UN Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) on Sudan established by the Human Rights Council at its 54th session, calling the FFM to prioritise gender justice and inclusion of women, including women defenders.

Despite spirited opposition from Khartoum and its allies, the UN Human Rights Council voted to establish a mechanism tasked with investigating human rights violations in Sudan.

On 3 October 2023, a joint statement was delivered by ISHR on behalf of a group of Sudanese, regional and international organisations during the informal on the draft resolution 'Responding to the Human Rights and Humanitarian Crisis Caused by the Ongoing Armed Conflict in the Sudan'. The organisations called on States to support the establishment of an independent and international Fact Finding Mission on Sudan during the ongoing 54th Council session.