Asking Military To Stop Violence, Prime Minister Of Sudan Holds Investigation Of Violations Against Protesters

PM Sudan Abdalla Hamdok. (Wikimedia Commons/Ola A.Alsheikh)

JAKARTA - An investigation has been launched into abuses committed against protesters since the military seizure of power on October 25, said Sudan's newly re-appointed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

PM Hamdok's comments came during a meeting on Tuesday night with the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), the main civilian coalition opposed to military rule. The FFC earlier said on Sunday it did not recognize a political deal with the military leadership.

The group emphasized during the meeting the importance of drawing up a roadmap to implement the political agreement, reversing all political promises made after the military takeover, returning all those who were fired during that period, according to the statement, citing Reuters November 24.

Last week, protesters and Reuters witnesses said they saw security forces chasing protesters into neighborhoods and homes to make arrests. At least 15 people were shot dead during the military's anti-coup protests, according to medics.

PM Hamdok and his group called for political prisoners to be released as soon as possible, with the right to peaceful protest to be respected.

Meanwhile, PM Hamdok told Al Arabiya that he had asked the military to end violence against protesters.

Under the agreement signed with military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, PM Abdalla Hamdok, who was first appointed after the ouster of former President Omar al-Bashir in the 2019 uprising, will lead a civilian technocrat government for a transitional period.

However, the deal has faced opposition from pro-democracy groups who have demanded full civilian rule since Bashir's ouster, angered by the deaths of dozens of protesters since the October 25 coup.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said he expected a new government in Sudan to be formed within two weeks.