Khartoum — The newly appointed UN expert on human rights in Sudan, Mashood Adebayo Baderin said on Thursday that the Sudanese government refused to give him a travel permit to travel to Darfur, during his five day Sudan tour, despite his requests to visit.

At a press conference in Khartoum Baderin said, 'we requested that we wanted to visit Khartoum and Darfur, but the time limit I was informed was short to make the arrangements.'

Baderin added that 'in spite of the assurances from the government that the human rights situation in Darfur is relatively improved, I have received contrary representations from other stakeholders.'