Resolution on human rights in Sudan

The European Parliament adopted a joint resolution on human rights in Sudan. The resolution highlights the cases of two women sentenced to death by stoning for committing adultery and two teenagers condemned to be hanged for murder and robbery.

In the first case, a judge sentenced Amouna Abdallah Daldoum and Sadia Idries Fadul, on 6 March and 13 February 2007 respectively, to death by stoning for adultery. On appeal, according to a letter from the Sudanese Embassy in Brussels, the death sentences have been quashed and the case is to be reviewed.

MEPs welcome the quashing of the death sentence – if confirmed – and call on the Sudanese Government to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Sadia Idris Fadul and Amouna Abdallah Daldoum.  They also point out that stoning is a cruel and inhuman punishment, and severe punishment of adultery violates the basic human rights and international obligations subscribed to by Sudan.

In the second case, on 3 May the Criminal Court of Nyala in South Darfur sentenced Zakaria Mohamed and Ahmed Abdullah Suleiman, both aged 16, to death by hanging on murder and robbery charges.

Parliament's resolution strongly reminds the Government of Sudan that the use of the death penalty against child offenders is prohibited under international law. Indeed, Sudan has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, under which it has undertaken not to carry out executions of anyone under 18 years of age.

MEPs therefore call on the Sudanese Government to repeal the death sentences against, and guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of, Abdelrahman Zakaria Mohamed and Ahmed Abdullah Suleiman.

Parliament went on to call on the Commission, Council and Member States to condemn the use of the death penalty, flogging and other corporal, cruel or degrading punishments and to promote women’s rights and human rights in general in their relations with the Sudanese authorities.

Lastly, the resolution calls on the Sudanese Government to revise its judicial system and to ratify the Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Aiming at the Abolition of the Death Penalty. The government is also urged to accede to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, as well as the Protocol of the Court of Justice of the African Union.