The Arab Foundation for Support to Civil Society and Human Rights has called on Sudanese authorities to stop the use of violence against peaceful demonstrators and declared its solidarity with the demands of the Sudanese people, according to the Foundation’s webpage on the Facebook.

The statement affirmed the Foundation has been following up with grave concern the development of events in Sudan and the use of excessive violence by the Sudanese security authorities against peaceful demonstrations organized in a number of Sudan’s States and cities since four weeks to protest deteriorating living conditions and lack of cash.

Demonstrations erupted in several States particularly Khartoum, Omdurman, Atbara, Gedarif, Dongola and North Kordofan during which over 35 people have lost their lives because of use of live bullets by the security forces besides the wounding of many others who are receiving treatment in various Sudanese hospitals, according to estimates of political forces.

Omdurman city witnessed large demonstrations where security forces fired teargas inside the compound of Omdurman Hospital and assaulted medical doctors because of treating those wounded in the peaceful protests. Security forces have also arrested tens of politicians, leaders of political parties, activists and journalists on charge of inciting the demonstrations.

On 12 January, authorities prevented the publication of a number of newspapers including Al Baath and Al Jareed and confiscated Al Youm Al Taali newspaper against the backdrop of their coverage of the peaceful protests in Bahri last Sunday.

Journalists were also not spared as security agents on 12 January detained 28 male and female journalists during a silent vigil campaign held in front of the National Intelligence and Security Services’ Information Section in Khartoum intended to hand over a memorandum of protest against security censorship, banning publication of newspapers and the repeated confiscation of Al Jareed newspaper. The publisher and the chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Jareeda newspaper Mr. Mohamed Yousuf Awad and the managing editor of the newspaper Mr. Magid Al Goni were also targeted.

Journalists Mr. Mohamed Sulaiman, Ms. Aisha Al Samani and Mr. Yousuf Jalal were beaten up with sticks and batons while covering the demonstrations.

The Arab Foundation is gravely concerned over information that Al Bashir regime is using mercenaries from the outside to confront demonstrations which would lead to grave violation of the right to life and peaceful assembly.

The Arab Foundation affirmed its full solidarity with the demands of the Sudanese people for freedom and social justice and considers the demonstrations as an exercise by the people of the freedom of opinion and expression with regard to the Sudanese leadership and also represents a referendum on whether the leadership should continue or not.

The executive director of the foundation Mr. Sherif Hilali has called on the Sudanese security authorities to investigate the killing of peaceful demonstrators whether by the security forces or others and immediately release leaders of political parties and journalists detained because of these demonstrations and cease all repressive measures including the use of live or rubber bullets against peaceful demonstrators.

source; The Arab Foundation for Supporting Civil Society and Human Rights