Speech

40th Universal Periodic Review of human rights: UK statement on Sudan

The UK's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Simon Manley, delivered this statement during Sudan's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the Human Rights Council.

• From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Simon Manley CMG
• Published: 9 February 2022

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

• Location: Geneva, Switzerland
• Delivered on: 9 February 2022 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

Let me start by applauding Ambassador Ali Mahmoud’s passionate advocacy on behalf of the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people.

Once again we strongly condemn last October’s military coup, the subsequent unlawful detention of civilians, and the violence against peaceful protestors.

We call on the Sudanese military, and Sudan’s civilian-led government once restored, to fully respect and protect all human rights and to deliver justice and accountability for all human rights violations and abuses,

We also urge all parties to cooperate with the continued work of the UN Expert on human rights.

We recommend:

Firstly, that Sudan immediately opens civic space and defends Freedom of Expression and Assembly for all Sudanese, including civil society actors, human rights defenders and journalists; and

Secondly, that all Sudanese parties engage fully and in good faith with the UN-facilitated talks to reach a solution that leads to the restoration of civilian-led government, and free and fair elections.

Published 9 February 2022