Troika Statement on Detentions of Political Figures in Sudan

Office of the Spokesperson

The Troika (Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America), Canada, Switzerland, and the European Union are alarmed by the February 9 arrests and detentions of several high-profile political figures.  These troubling actions are part of a recent pattern of arrests and detentions of civil society activists, journalists, and humanitarian workers occurring throughout Sudan these last weeks.  We condemn this harassment and intimidation on the part of Sudan’s military authorities.  This is wholly inconsistent with their stated commitment to participate constructively in a facilitated process to resolve Sudan’s political crisis to return to a democratic transition.

We call for an immediate end to such practices and for the immediate release of all those unjustly detained.  We remind Sudan’s military authorities of their obligations to respect the human rights and guarantee the safety of those detained or arrested and the need to ensure that due process is consistently followed in all cases.  The lifting of the state of emergency, declared at the time of the October 25 military takeover would send a positive signal.