National Human Rights Commission (Sudan)

National Human Rights Commission

Agency overview
Jurisdiction	Sudan
Agency executive	Hurriya Ismail

The Sudanese National Human Rights Commission has been headed by Hurriya Ismail, appointed by former president Omar al-Bashir,^[1] since March 2018 or earlier^[2] and continued under her leadership during the 2019 Sudanese transition to democracy.

Creation

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has existed since March 2018 or earlier.^[2] Hurriya Ismail (also: Hurria) was appointed as its head by former president Omar al-Bashir,^[1] wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity carried out during the War in Darfur.^[3]

Sudanese Revolution

See also: Sudanese Revolution and 2019 Sudanese transition to democracy

On 24 September 2019, just a few days after civilian prime minister Abdalla Hamdok's decree initiating the creation of the Khartoum massacre investigation committee, Hurriya Ismail, head of the NHRC, stated that 85 people had been killed during the 3 June 2019 Khartoum massacre and 400 had been injured. She stated that the 85 people were killed by live bullets.^[1] In relation to Sudanese doctors' estimates of the rape of 70 women and men during the massacre,^[4][5] Ismail listed "16 allegations of sexual violence, 9 cases of rape and sexual violence" and stated that the NHRC had not received direct complaints from victims.^[1]

The newly appointed Chief Justice of Sudan and head of the Sudanese judiciary, Nemat Abdullah Khair, and Attorney-General of Sudan, Tag el-Sir el-Hibir, both appeared publicly with Ismail in late October 2019 and stated their intention to cooperate with Ismail and the NHRC on human rights protection and prosecutions for human rights violations committed during the al-Bashir era and during the Sudanese Revolution.^[6][7]

References

1. "85 people killed in 3-June bloody attack, says Sudan's rights body". Sudan Tribune. 25 September 2019. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
2. "First Vice – President Directs Human Rights Commission to Speed up Formulation of Report on Human Rights in Sudan". Sudan News Agency. 26 March 2018. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
3. "Situation in Darfur, Sudan – In the case of Prosecutor v. Omar Hassan Ahmad al Bashir ("Omar al Bashir")" (PDF). International Criminal Court. 4 March 2009. ICC-02/05-01/09. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
4. Salih in Khartoum, Zeinab Mohammed; Burke, Jason (11 June 2019). "Sudanese doctors say dozens of people raped during sit-in attack". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 June 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
5. "Complete civil disobedience, and open political strike, to avoid chaos". Sudanese Professionals Association. 4 June 2019. Archived from the original on 8 June 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
6. "Sudan A-G: 'Perpetrators of human rights violations will be held to account'". Radio Dabanga. 31 October 2019. Archived from the original on 31 October 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
7. "Sudan's Sovereign Council resolves to review cases of detained rebels". Radio Dabanga. 28 October 2019. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.