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HRW: 'Abuse' undermining free Sudan election
Human Rights Watch is accusing authorities in Sudan of committing abuses ahead of a general election scheduled for April.
The group's Georgette Gagnon says in a new report that "violations of civil and political rights by Sudanese security forces throughout the country are seriously undermining prospects for free, fair, and credible elections…. The Khartoum government is still using its security forces to harass and abuse those who speak out against the ruling National Congress Party. That is no environment for holding free, fair, and transparent elections."
Human Rights Watch is also criticizing authorities in southern Sudan, where it says "soldiers and police arbitrarily arrested, detained, and mistreated members of political parties opposed to the southern ruling Sudan People?s Liberation Movement," a former rebel group.
Gagnon also says that with less than three months to elections and with campaigning season starting in February, a robust international observer presence is needed now. She said: "Careful monitoring is even more pressing considering that [Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir] is wanted for war crimes."
Last March, the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Bashir's arrest on five counts of crimes against humanity and two of war crimes committed in the western region of Darfur.
Last October, in its Sudan policy review, the Obama administration indicated it would regularly assess the progress of peace in Sudan-or lack thereof. However, the administration has not publicly disclosed precisely what benchmarks it is applying to assess progress in the country.