Widespread Violations Against Thousands of Detainees in Khartoum State
moatinoon
A newly released UN report has revealed widespread human rights violations against thousands of detainees held without charges in detention facilities controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Khartoum State. The documented abuses include arbitrary detention, torture, ill-treatment, deaths in custody, the use of children as guards or detainees, sexual exploitation of female detainees, and discriminatory treatment based on ethnicity and affiliation.
The report also noted that the abuses in Khartoum mirror patterns documented in other conflict-affected areas across Sudan.
Thousands Held in Dire Conditions
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stated in its report, published on Thursday, that since the outbreak of the conflict, tens of thousands of people—including women and children—have been detained without charges in "squalid and overcrowded" facilities, with limited or no contact with their families.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk described these practices as "deeply concerning," warning that they increase the risk of human rights violations, undermine due process, and erode the rule of law.
"No one should be deprived of their liberty without due process, nor should anyone, under any circumstances, be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment," Türk added.
Torture, Deaths in Custody, and Child Prison Guards
The report, covering the period from April 15, 2023, to June 2024, is based on 34 interviews conducted by the OHCHR with former detainees, witnesses, and family members.
Survivors provided credible accounts of horrific torture and mistreatment, including severe and repeated beatings in detention facilities, extreme overcrowding, poor sanitation, and insufficient access to food and water.
Many detainees reportedly died in custody due to lack of medical care in RSF and SAF detention centers.
The report also documented the use of children as young as 14 as prison guards by the RSF, particularly at Soba Prison, and the detention of children as young as 13 alongside adult prisoners. Additionally, cases of sexual violence and exploitation of female detainees were reported in two RSF-controlled facilities.
Ethnic Discrimination and Targeted Abuse
Former detainees reported discriminatory treatment based on ethnicity and perceived affiliation with opposing factions in the conflict.
African ethnic groups were subjected to repeated torture and mistreatment in RSF-controlled detention centers.
People from Darfur and Kordofan, including members of Arab tribes, were reportedly detained and discriminated against in SAF facilities, accused of being affiliated with the RSF.
A Pattern of Abuses Across Sudan
While the report primarily focuses on detention practices in Khartoum State, the OHCHR confirmed that similar patterns of abuse have been documented in other regions, including Darfur and Al-Jazira State.
The report also noted that in recent months, the RSF has relocated detainees from the documented facilities to other sites, as the Sudanese Armed Forces regained control over certain areas.
