Demand for special UN rights council meet after Sudan coup

Sudanese demonstrators raise national flags

Following a violent crackdown on large rallies against last week’s military coup, dozens of countries demanded that the UN Human Rights Council hold a special session on Sudan on Monday.

British ambassador Simon Manley emphasized the urgent need for the highest UN rights body to review the situation in Sudan since the army’s power grab on October 25 in a letter to the council president on behalf of 48 countries.

“We request that the Human Rights Council convene a special session this week to discuss the human rights implications of the current situation in the Republic of Sudan,” the letter, seen by AFP, stated.

“Because of the gravity and immediacy of the situation, a special session is required.”

The plea came after Sudan’s civilian leadership was jailed when senior General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan dissolved the government, declared a state of emergency, and dissolved the government.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people took to the streets around the country to protest the coup.

According to medics, at least three individuals were shot dead and more than 100 were injured during Saturday’s rallies, bringing the total number of persons murdered since the coup to 12.

The killings and the use of live ammunition were disputed by police.

In his letter Monday, Manley said the call for a special session was being led by Britain, the United States and Norway, along with Germany and the government of Sudan, ousted in the coup.

The appeal had been signed by 48 countries in total, including 18 of the Human Rights Council’s 47 members.

Calling a special session outside of the thrice-yearly regular meetings requires the backing of at least a third of the membership, so at least 16 states.

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