Emergency Lawyers condemn SAF and Al Baraa Brigade

The Emergency Lawyers rights group condemned the killing of dozens of young volunteers by members of the Sudanese Army and the extremist (Al-Baraa) Brigade in the area of Al-Halfaya, north of Khartoum. They referred to the field trials carried out against young volunteers preparing food for citizens as serious violations, crimes against humanity and a violation of the International Humanitarian Law.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Emergency Lawyers rights group called on the Human Rights Council and the United Nations to take immediate action to stop these crimes and ensure the protection of civilians in all areas affected by the conflict.

They shared that sources reported confirmed cases of serious violations committed by the forces of Al-Baraa Ibn Malik Brigade and members of the Army in “Al-Halfaya” area in Bahri on September 29th, these violations included; arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings based on ethnic and regional grounds, some of which were in response to calls for incitement and hatred, all these cases were under the pretext of cooperation with the Rapid Support Forces that controlled the neighborhood for nearly a year since the outbreak of the war on April 15th.

The rights group added in their statement: “These crimes continue to be committed and death sentences are being carried out. They’re called; (field trials), and have included civilians and military personnel alike, they’re greatly supported by calls for incitement despite the catastrophic conditions the city is witnessing.”

They stressed that these acts represent a flagrant violation of International Humanitarian Law and amount to crimes against humanity according to recognized international standards and under the Geneva Conventions of (1949), especially Common Article (3).
These violations constitute a clear breach of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well, especially Article (6), which guarantees the right to life and prohibits any attack on that right except under a just and recognized law.

The Emergency Lawyers called on the United Nations’ Human Rights Council as well as regional and international human rights organizations to take the necessary measures to ensure the protection of civilians in “Al-Halfaya”, stressing that the continuation of these violations without accountability enhances the climate of impunity and accelerates the deterioration of the humanitarian and security conditions, stating: “We emphasize the need for rapid and immediate action to stop these crimes and ensure the protection of civilians in all areas affected by the conflict.”