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GENEVA / OHCHR SUDAN
STORY: GENEVA / OHCHR SUDAN
TRT: 2:06
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 12 APRIL 2019, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
FILE - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, Palais des Nations exterior
12 APRIL 2019, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
2. Wide shot, press room
3. Med shot, journalists
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“This is a very critical, volatile moment for Sudan and there is deep uncertainty and unease about the future.”
5. Med shot, journalists
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“It is encouraging that there was no violence overnight even though the curfew that had been imposed was not respected by peaceful protesters; we are encouraged by that. We have also received reports that there are some political detainees who have been released. Now we haven’t been able to confirm these reports, but we are calling on the authorities to release all political detainees.”
7. Med shot, journalists
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“I wouldn’t want to get into details on who our sources are, but there are clear indications from them that they are not happy with what happened yesterday and that the protests will continue, which, again, is why we are calling on the authorities to address the people’s demands.”
9. Med shot, journalists
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“We also understand that the announcement that was made yesterday didn’t indicate any possibility for people to participate in this transition, which is why we are, again, calling on the authorities to ensure that there’s a concerted effort with the meaningful participation of civil society, of dissenting voices, in charting a way forward.”
11. Close up, journalists
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“What I can say on this really, is just that we would encourage the Government of Sudan to fully cooperate with the International Criminal Court, and we are also calling for full accountability, including for the use of excessive force that has taken place since December this year.”
13. Close up, journalist writing
14. Med shot, dais
15. Med shot, journalists
In a statement delivered by her spokesperson in Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said Sudan’s military has an overarching duty to refrain from using violence against protesters and ensure that their human rights are protected.
Her comments followed the ousting of President Omar al-Bashir which was announced on State television on Thursday, accompanied by the news that a military council would govern the country for two years.
Those developments come amid protests that erupted nearly four months ago when the Government attempted to raise the prices of bread and basic commodities, and which are also believed to have claimed dozens of lives.
UN human rights office (OHCHR) spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva today (12 Apr) that this was “a very critical, volatile moment for Sudan and there is deep uncertainty and unease about the future.”
She said the human rights office was closely monitoring developments and called on the authorities to refrain from using force against peaceful protestors. Shamdasani said it was “encouraging that there was no violence overnight” in the capital Khartoum “even though the curfew that had been imposed was not respected by peaceful protesters.” She added, “We have also received reports that there are some political detainees who have been released. Now we haven’t been able to confirm these reports, but we are calling on the authorities to release all political detainees.”
However, amid uncertainty about how the crisis might play out, the OHCHR spokesperson noted that the demonstrators were unwilling to accept the new status quo.
SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“I wouldn’t want to get into details on who our sources are, but there are clear indications from them that they are not happy with what happened yesterday and that the protests will continue, which, again, is why we are calling on the authorities to address the people’s demands.”
Quoting from the High Commissioner’s statement, Shadasani noted that the protests against President Bashir stemmed from widespread human rights grievances: economic, social, civil and political.
SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“We also understand that the announcement that was made yesterday didn’t indicate any possibility for people to participate in this transition, which is why we are, again, calling on the authorities to ensure that there’s a concerted effort with the meaningful participation of civil society, of dissenting voices, in charting a way forward.”
Asked whether the former President should stand trial on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, issued by the International Criminal Court in March 2009, Shamdasani said, “We would encourage the Government of Sudan to fully cooperate with the International Criminal Court, and we are also calling for full accountability, including for the use of excessive force that has taken place since December this year.”
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