The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has submitted three urgent action requests to the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) on behalf of three Sudanese citizens who are subjected to enforced disappearance in different regions of Sudan.
The submissions were filed under article 30 of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, requesting the Committee to intervene and urge the authorities to take immediate action to search for, locate, and protect the disappeared individuals.
In all three cases, the victims were apprehended during security operations or armed clashes in areas affected by the ongoing conflict. The disappearances occurred in contexts where the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) exercised effective control over territory and detention facilities. In two of the cases, former detainees reported having seen the victims in RSF-controlled detention sites prior to their disappearance. In another case, video evidence documented the moment of arrest by armed RSF personnel.
The Committee transmitted the urgent action requests to the Government of Sudan and called upon it to take immediate measures to search for, locate, and protect the disappeared persons and to conduct prompt, thorough, and impartial investigations into their fate and whereabouts.
The Committee further reminded Sudan of its obligations under the Convention, including the duty to act with due diligence even in situations where non-State actors exercise control over territory. It emphasized that, under international law, a State may bear responsibility where it fails to take necessary measures to prevent disappearances, investigate them effectively, or bring those responsible to justice. The Committee also called for the establishment of comprehensive search strategies, the systematic verification of all places of deprivation of liberty, and the meaningful participation of families in the search and investigation processes.
The Committee granted the Sudanese authorities 30 days to provide detailed information on the measures taken to search for, locate, and protect the disappeared persons and to report on investigative steps undertaken. Nearly three months have now passed without any reply. This prolonged failure to respond not only undermines the urgent action procedure but also raises serious concerns regarding Sudan’s compliance with its obligations under the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, including the duty to cooperate in good faith with the Committee and to take immediate measures to clarify the fate and whereabouts of disappeared persons. Meanwhile, families continue to endure ongoing suffering in the absence of official information.
In light of the context in Sudan since April 2023, CFJ notes a disturbing pattern of enforced disappearances linked to arbitrary arrests, incommunicado detention, the absence of official registration of detainees, and the collapse or dysfunction of judicial institutions in several conflict-affected areas. Families are often left without access to any official mechanism through which to report disappearances or obtain information, compounding their suffering and exposing them to prolonged uncertainty regarding the fate of their loved ones.
CFJ reiterates its call on all relevant authorities in Sudan to:
- Immediately clarify and officially disclose the fate and whereabouts of all disappeared persons, including by providing written, verifiable information to their families and legal representatives and by acknowledging any deprivation of liberty without delay
- Guarantee immediate, unhindered, and independent access to all places of deprivation of liberty, whether officially recognized or unofficial, including facilities under the control of armed actors exercising effective control over territory, and allow monitoring by competent judicial authorities and independent oversight bodies.
- Conduct prompt, independent, and impartial investigations into the circumstances of the disappearance, the fate and whereabouts of the victims, and the responsibility of all perpetrators, including those in positions of command or effective control.
- Protect families and witnesses from intimidation or reprisals.
These urgent actions form part of CFJ’s ongoing efforts to support victims of enforced disappearance and their families in Sudan, to pursue accountability, and to maintain sustained communication with relevant national and international authorities. CFJ will continue strengthening its engagement with the international community and United Nations human rights mechanisms to ensure they remain fully informed of developments on the ground, and that their interventions are effectively directed toward protecting victims and upholding their rights.
