The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has expressed deep concern over the detention of 97 young artisanal miners by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in West Kordofan State, after they were abducted from a gold‑mining site in the Dar Hamar area—constituting a serious violation of human rights and international humanitarian law.
According to information documented by CFJ, the RSF released 19 vehicles carrying miners last Friday, but only after forcing their owners to pay a ransom of approximately 3 million Sudanese pounds per vehicle. CFJ stressed that such actions amount to extortion, arbitrary detention, and trading freedom for money, which are prohibited under international conventions and norms.
CFJ expressed grave concern over the fate and safety of the remaining 97 detainees, as no official information has been provided regarding their whereabouts, conditions of detention, or physical wellbeing—placing their lives at imminent risk.
The committee affirmed that extorting civilians in exchange for their release constitutes a serious crime and a blatant violation of human rights. CFJ stated that such acts are equivalent to forced detention and hostage‑taking, in clear contravention of international humanitarian law, particularly the absolute prohibition on the arbitrary detention of civilians on ethnic, regional, or economic grounds.
CFJ holds the Rapid Support Forces fully legally responsible for the safety and lives of the detainees and calls for the immediate and unconditional disclosure of their whereabouts and their prompt release. The committee also urged an immediate end to all practices targeting civilians, especially artisanal miners who have increasingly become victims of repeated violations.
CFJ further called on the international community and UN human rights mechanisms working on Sudan to urgently follow up on this incident and take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of civilians and accountability for those responsible for these grave violations.