African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies ACJPS | المركز الافريقي لدراسات العدالة و السلام
(15 December 2021) African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) expresses deep concern about the increased violence against and obstruction of health care by security forces since the coup. Measures taken by authorities have hindered the provision of urgent medical care and violated several human rights of peaceful protesters. We urge Sudanese authorities to respect its obligations under regional and international law and protect the rights of medical workers, and of protesters.
In this release, ACJPS has documented several incidents where security forces have obstructed the provision of health care between 25 October and 21 November 2021.
Medical workers have been targeted for arrest and detention for participating in anti- coup protests. In Omdurman, injured peaceful protesters were denied access to urgent medical care when security forces prevented ambulances from crossing roadblocks. In Khartoum Bahri and Omdurman, security forces fired tear gas inside hospitals terrifying both patients and medical staff. This also disrupted medical staff as they were attending to patients. Security forces on several occasions blocked access to hospitals by deploying forces at the entrance who threatened and intimidated persons trying to access hospitals including patients and blood donors. In Khartoum, staff members at the national blood bank office were sent on forced leave for a day. Security forces also raided hospitals and arrested injured protesters. Similar tactics were used during crackdowns on the 2018-2019 revolution.
This violent campaign of intimidation against the medical community and its interference in the provision of vital medical assistance to injured protesters is one of the most egregious aspects of the security forces’ brutal repression of anti coup protests. We strongly urge Sudanese authorities to end attacks on the provision of medical services and guarantee unhindered access to medical services for all.
ACJPS further calls on the Sudanese authorities to:
- Cease the detention of medical professionals solely for exercising their rights to freedom of assembly and expression.
- Provide free treatment and rehabilitation to injured protesters both in detention and those released.
- Remove all security personnel from the hospital facilities and allow free access to health facilities by patients, families and blood donors.
- Ensure that all detained individuals have access to appropriate medical care including putting measures in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 and ensure access to medical treatment for infected persons.
- Allow medical staff to treat patients without interference by security forces.
- Ensure that government hospitals are fully equipped and operational to offer free quality services to injured protesters.
Medical staffs are sent on forced leave by security forces
On 25 October 2021, joint forces of Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Police and other security agencies in plain clothes raided the National Blood Bank office in Khartoum and forced staff to take a day off and leave the building without giving any reasons. The raid came after Sudanese Doctors Committee called the public to urgently donate blood for injured protesters.
COVID-19 patients denied access to medical care by authorities
On 26 October 2021, five anti coup detainees who tested positive for covid-19 were detained in facilities not equipped to handle these cases in Aldeain, East Darfur. The group was isolated in small room with no access to medical care. The reason given to them at first was that the RSF forces ordered prison authorities not to grant them any medical care. The second reason given by the prison wardens of Aldean was that the isolation center in Aldeain was not ready to receive COVID-19 patients. The group remained in the isolation room within the prison until 13 November when they were transferred to detention center attached to new prison located East of Aldeain. ACJPS has been reliably informed that some of the detainees had underlying health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes. They had been verbally informed on the second day of their arrest that they were being detained for 3 months under the emergency decree. They were eventually released on 19 November.
Their names are:
- Abdul Rahman Jabura (m), Director General of the East Darfur Ministry of Urban Planning
- Ahmed Mohamed (m), member of the teachers committee
- Al-Sir Jalal (m), member of Freedom and Change Alliance. He was arrested on 28 October 2021.
- Bashir Mohamed Ibrahim (m), Director General of the East Darfur Ministry of Health
- Hassab Alaalh Dakoum (m), member of Teachers committee and Trade Union
- Juoda El-Saier (m), Director General of the East Darfur Ministry of Finance
Security forces deny ambulances to cross roadblocks
A new pattern of human rights violations was demonstrated security agencies who denied ambulances carrying injured protesters to cross checkpoints and roadblocks. In Omdurman, ambulances carrying injured protesters referred by medical teams of Omdurman Academic and Alarbeen hospitals for further medical care in Royal Care hospital in Khartoum were denied to cross the While Nile Bridge linking the two cities.
Security forces deny civilians entry into hospital
On 30 October 2021, a group of armed soldiers stationed at the gate of the Military Hospital located in Omdurman refused two injured protesters to enter to the emergency unit without giving any reasons. The two patients left and moved to Al-Arbeen and Omdurman hospitals. The military hospital is under the management of SAF but admits civilian patients as well. Article 75 of the Sudanese Criminal Act 1991 criminalizes omission to provide necessary assistance to any injured person.
On 13 November 2021, all roads leading to hospitals in Omdurman including Alarbeen hospital were blocked. Joint forces of SAF, Police and RSF deployed at the roadblock denied injured protesters entrance into hospitals. They even threatened to kill anyone who tried to pass through roadblock including patients, blood donors, family members and relatives. They told civilians to either go back to where they came from or risk joining the “useless dead bodies” inside the hospital.
Security forces arrest injured protesters and verbally abused patients and medical staff
On 13 November 2021, armed forces in plain clothes, wearing masks and armed with tear gas raided Alarbeen hospital in Omdurman and arrested several injured protesters. They also verbally abused patients and medical personnel. They targeted the emergency and casualty ward of the hospital. They also searched the cell phones of doctors to delete videos and images of them taken. They also briefly detained Doctor Alla Edien and released him that same day without charges.
Security forces arrest an injured protester from inside the hospital
On 30 November 2021, about 13 to 15 Central Reserve police officers raided Al-Faisal Private Hospital in Khartoum looking for a young injured male protester. They arrested him before he received medical care and forcefully carried him by the hands and legs before whisking him away to an unknown location. On 1 December, the Sudanese Prime Minster, Mr. Abdalla Hamdok issued a resolution to have this case investigated.
Police officers arrest two medical doctors
On 15 November 2021, a group of police officers in Kassala State, Eastern Sudan arrested two medical doctors who were heading to participate in a peaceful anti coup protest organized by doctors affiliated with Sudanese Doctors Committees and joined by members of the resistance committees. They were released almost immediately after intervention from a crowd of protesters.
Police fires teargas inside hospitals
On 17 November 2021, Police forces fired heavy teargas inside Ahmed Gasim hospital, located in Khartoum Bahri targeting the pediatric and heart disease ward. The hospital was not even scheduled by the doctors committees to receive injured protesters.
On 21 November 2021, Police forces fired teargas inside Alarbeen hospital in Omdurman. Some tear gas canisters fell near the intensive care units and the pediatric ward. The hospital was also not scheduled to receive injured protesters from the November 21st anti coup rallies. On the same day, joint security forces raided the hospital and searched the cell phones of medical workers.
Internet and phone disruptions affect rescue of injured protesters
On 21 November 2021, in Alshabeeiah neighborhood in Khartoum, people were forced to use a microphone of a local mosque to call for ambulances to rescue the injured protesters. This was because rescuers could not easily communicate with service providers due to the internet and telecommunication disruptions.
For further information, contact Mossaad Mohamed Ali at: mossaad.ali@acjps.org
