The Committee for Justice (CFJ) stated that as part of the ongoing efforts to document the grave violations that have occurred in Sudan since the outbreak of the armed conflict in April 2023, CFJ in collaboration with “Nazra for Feminist Studies,” submitted a set of information and recommendations that contributed to enriching the report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan. This report was presented to the Human Rights Council in Geneva during its 57th session.
The report submitted by the UN mission highlighted widespread human rights and international humanitarian law violations, focusing on crimes linked to the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The report documented patterns of horrific crimes against civilians, particularly targeting women and children, including arbitrary detentions, sexual violence, and the forced recruitment of children—issues both organizations had raised in their reports.
The report also shed light on gender-based crimes, with evidence provided by CFJ and “Nazra” regarding widespread violations against women in conflict areas. Numerous cases of rape and sexual violence were documented, perpetrated by RSF forces and allied militias in cities within the Darfur region and Greater Khartoum.
Additionally, the report mentioned the abduction of victims by RSF forces and their transportation to remote locations where they were raped. Witnesses described women and girls being kidnapped in small vehicles and taken to unknown destinations. Some victims reported being forcibly held in a house or room for several days to several months, deprived of their freedom, repeatedly raped, and/or sexually exploited by various RSF members. They were also threatened with violence or death if they tried to escape or resist the sexual violence—details confirmed by CFJ and “Nazra” in their submission to the mission.
The fact-finding mission also relied on documentation by CFJ and “Nazra” regarding the arrest of civilians, primarily by both sides of the Sudanese conflict, on suspicion of supporting the opposing side. Documented cases of arrest and detention occurred in various locations in Khartoum, West and Central Darfur, and the Nile River State. Civilians were arrested at checkpoints, from their homes, and other locations, often accompanied by physical violence. Victims reported harsh detention conditions, including being held in extremely overcrowded and inhumane facilities, with insufficient food, water, and sanitation. Both the SAF—including its military intelligence—and the RSF, along with allied militias, committed acts that amounted to torture and other forms of mistreatment.
The mission also reported multiple incidents of threats, intimidation, harassment, attacks, and reprisals documented by the two organizations against individuals involved in documenting human rights violations. These included human rights defenders, lawyers, members of emergency response committees, resistance committees, and other civil society members, who were targeted by both the SAF and the RSF.
In conclusion, the mission called for the accountability of those responsible for the violations, with a focus on providing necessary support to the victims. It also emphasized the importance of establishing effective mechanisms to ensure transitional justice, including compensating victims and preventing the recurrence of such crimes in the future.
The mission further stressed the need to deploy an independent international force to protect civilians, given the warring parties’ inability to comply with their humanitarian obligations, urging them to cease attacks on civilians.
