Earlier this month, we posted an article about the Belgian government at risk of collapse over Sudan migrants scandal, deportations and torture. French newspaper Le Monde broke the story last year (read our post here) reporting that officials from Khartoum handpicked political opponents for repatriation from Europe.
The Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (MIGS) retweeted the public statement by Amnesty International (download here) illustrating how recent returns to Sudan by Belgian authorities appear to have been realized in breach of international law, and in particular of the principle of non-refoulement on both substantive and procedural grounds.
#Belgium: Returns to #Sudan violated principles of non-refoulement https://t.co/osWmKBjGrr
— MIGS (@MIGSinstitute) January 30, 2018
As mentioned in our previous article on that topic, Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights prohibits torture, it also extends to the extradition of people to a foreign state if they are likely to be subjected to torture.
Gerry Simpson, Associate Director, Refugee Rights Program at Human Rights Watch also retweeted Amnesty’s statement:
Belgium unlawfully deported 9 Sudanese nationals after failing to properly check whether they risked persecution back home @amnesty https://t.co/HyGhqgiLgg pic.twitter.com/otSI5bLq9W
— Gerry Simpson (@GerrySimpsonHRW) January 30, 2018
In the meantime in Sudan, security forces have arrested scores of people in connection with protests against austerity measures imposed under the January 2018 budget. KACE Sudan writes:
Demonstrations across Sudan began on 6 January, set off by the announcement of Sudan’s 2018 budget and the lifting of subsidies and other measures, effectively tripling Sudan’s US dollar exchange rate and increasing the price of basic commodities. On several occasions since then, Sudanese authorities have used excessive force to disperse demonstrators, including beating peaceful demonstrators with sticks and batons and firing tear gas into crowds.In addition to the crackdown on protests, authorities have detained hundreds of protesters. Human rights groups documented arrests of at least 79 people at demonstrations in the first three weeks of January. Most are being held by Sudan’s national security agency, the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), without access to their families and lawyers.
Read full article here.
We are also very concerned by the ongoing situation and we sent a series of tweets about it, calling out French officials, both in English and French:
https://twitter.com/MagkaSama/status/958373742312292352
https://twitter.com/MagkaSama/status/958381040359231488
https://twitter.com/MagkaSama/status/958387079540453376
https://twitter.com/MagkaSama/status/958392868825018370
In his tweet, renowned Sudanese cartoonist Khalid Albaih is pointing out that as the situation deteriorates, Sudanese government has nothing but violence to keep the majority silent. He also used the hashtag #SudanRevolts referring to the deadly protests and uprising in 2011-2013. Note that our posts on the events were tagged with the same hashtag.
Sudanese police uses teargas and arrests protests, Again.
The protests have been more frequent for the last 2 month as the economical situation deteriorates and the government has nothing but violence to keep the majority silent. #SudanRevolts pic.twitter.com/qNC5gdOyBT— ود البيه (@khalidalbaih) January 31, 2018
