Amnesty International on 21 December 2018 issued a statement on its official website attributed to the Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for East Africa, the Horn and Great Lakes Mr. Seif Magango in response to news of Sudanese security officers firing on protesters, leaving many civilians dead and some seriously injured.

The Deputy Director said: “the Sudanese government should address the root cause of the rapidly deteriorating economic conditions in the country instead of attempting to stop citizens from exercising their right to protest against growing hardships they face,” adding “the government should immediately and unconditionally release all those detained because of exercising their right to freedom of expression and assembly peacefully.

Widespread demonstrations erupted in several Sudanese cities against the government’s economic policies and the protests remarkably escalated on 14 December and on the following days. On 19 and 20 December, security officers fired on protesters to disperse them, leaving six dead in Gadarif, Berber and Karima. According to the organization’s website, the Sudanese government shut down internet services since 20 December in an attempt to curb and control demonstrations and protests.

Source: Amnesty International