29 September 2025
Darfur Victims Support Organization expresses its deep concern and strong condemnation regarding the announcement broadcast by Sudan TV on 22 September 2025, which referred to indictments issued by the Public Prosecution against 49 lawyers from the city of Nyala, South Darfur, labeling them as “fugitives from justice.” These lawyers were charged with serious crimes, including “undermining the constitutional order” and “waging war against the state,” offenses that carry the death penalty.
The organization affirms that these indictments are arbitrary and lack any legal basis, serving instead as tools of political intimidation in stark violation of the most fundamental principles of justice.
Among the targeted lawyers is Mohamed Abdel Moneim Al-Reeh Babiker, known as Al-Sulaimi, 55 years old, married and father of four. He was born in Al-Housh, South Al-Jazeera, currently resides in Khartoum South – Abu Adam, and practices law in Nyala’s Al-Mazad neighborhood. Mr. Mohamed Abdel Moneim serves as Director of the Organization for Justice, Rights and Development, in addition to his role as Secretary-General of the Darfur Initiative for Justice and Peace.
In an interview conducted by the organization, Mr. Mohamed Abdel Moneim denied any prior knowledge of charges or legal proceedings against him and stated that he was shocked to learn of his name being announced among the wanted list on state television. He described these actions as malicious, politically motivated measures designed to silence human rights voices and restrict the work of defenders documenting violations, including the aerial bombardment of Nyala and the targeting of civilian infrastructure.
This development represents a grave violation of the rule of law and a dangerous precedent of weaponizing the judiciary for political retaliation. It directly contravenes the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers (1990), which stress the duty of states to ensure that lawyers are protected from harassment, threats, or improper interference in the exercise of their professional functions.
Recommendations of the Organization:
1. Darfur Victims Support calls on the Attorney General and the Chief Justice to immediately withdraw these arbitrary indictments, which lack any genuine legal foundation and are nothing more than political tools of harassment and score-settling.
2. The organization urges the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to intervene urgently and exert pressure on the de facto authorities in Port Sudan to halt these grave violations and to guarantee the protection of lawyers and human rights defenders from unlawful targeting or persecution.
Darfur Victims Support stresses that targeting lawyers through arbitrary indictments constitutes a blatant assault on judicial independence and undermines citizens’ right to access justice and fair trials. Tolerating such practices will only fuel further crimes and entrench impunity.
Protecting lawyers and defenders of justice is not only a legal obligation, but also a shared moral and humanitarian responsibility of the international community.
