17 June 2009
press release
Documents before the Human Rights Council for adoption today strongly imply that the Council will end the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Sudan, according to Amnesty International.
Reports received by Amnesty International suggest that the Council may replace the Special Rapporteur on Sudan, Dr Sima Samar, with an independent expert. Such an appointment is, however, unlikely to happen before September, even if a knowledgeable expert could be found.
“The gravity of the situation in Darfur requires that the Special Rapporteur’s mandate is kept in place,” said Tawanda Hondora, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Africa.
The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Sudan was established to respond to a situation of gross and systematic violations of human rights in the country.
“It would be a gross act of negligence by members of the Council to ignore the gravity of the situation in Sudan by terminating the mandate of the Special Rapporteur. The Human Rights Council should place the interests of the civilian population in Sudan above any political consideration. The Special Rapporteur’s mandate must be maintained for as long as war crimes and crimes against humanity persist,” said Tawanda Hondora.
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