STATEMENT BY VICTORIA NULAND, SPOKESPERSON

Government of Sudan's Release of Detained Protesters

On August 15, the Government of Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Service announced that it will release from custody all persons detained by it during political protests in June and July. The United States welcomes this announcement, and calls upon the Government of Sudan to respect its citizens' rights, including freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. We hope that this can be the first step in a necessary process of dialogue and reconciliation between the Government of Sudan and advocates for peaceful, democratic reform.

In particular, we welcome the release of U.S. legal permanent resident Rudwan Dawod, whose case attracted significant attention across America. Earlier this week, we expressed our concern about Mr. Dawod's case when he was detained after being released by a judge who had found him "not guilty" of the most serious charges leveled against him. We appreciate that the Government of Sudan complied with the decision by its court to release him.