US sanctions Sudan's Central Reserve Police over protest crackdown
Treasury Department accuses group of firing live rounds at protesters

Sudanese anti-coup protesters take part in demonstrations against the military in Khartoum. AFP

The National
Mar 21, 2022

The US on Monday imposed sanctions on Sudan's Central Reserve Police, accusing it of using excessive force on peaceful protesters demonstrating against last October's military coup.

The Treasury Department said in a statement that the Central Reserve Police, a division of the wider police force, has been at the forefront of the “violent response” of Sudanese security forces to peaceful protests in Khartoum.

Pointing to a single day in January, it accused the group of firing live ammunition and, along with anti-riot police and regular police, chasing protesters trying to flee, arresting and beating some, and fatally shooting two and injuring others.

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“Since the October 25 military takeover, Sudan’s Central Reserve Police has used excessive force and violence intended to silence civilian activists and protesters,” Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said in the statement.

“We condemn Sudan’s security services for killing, harassing and intimidating Sudanese citizens.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a separate statement called for an immediate end to violence against peaceful protesters.

“We remain poised to use all tools at our disposal to support the Sudanese people in their pursuit of a democratic, human rights-respecting and prosperous Sudan,” Mr Blinken said.

Military leaders have said peaceful protests are allowed and that casualties will be investigated.

Sudan has been rocked for months by protests organised by neighbourhood-based resistance committees. About 88 people have been killed in the crackdown on protests and thousands have been injured, many by gunfire.

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The Central Reserve Police, a heavily armed division of Sudan's police force, was used during the early 2000s Darfur war, during which Khartoum put down a rebellion in the western region.

An estimated 300,000 people were killed in the war and the president at the time, Omar Al Bashir, and aides face war crimes charges from the International Criminal Court.

Reuters contributed to this report

US Sanctions Sudan's Central Reserve Police Over Human Rights Violations

March 21, 2022 
VOA News

Protesters march during a rally against military rule following a coup nearly three months ago, in Khartoum, Sudan, Jan. 24, 2022.

The United States imposed sanctions Monday on Sudan’s Central Reserve Police (CRP) concerning grave human rights violations toward peaceful protesters who have been publicly demonstrating their strong objections toward the military coup in the country.

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said in a statement that the CRP has used “excessive force” toward peaceful demonstrators in Khartoum.

The statement cited the group for firing live ammunition on civilians in January where one protester was shot and later died.

The CRP has been at the front line of Sudan’s military response to protests that came after the military overthrew the transitional civilian-led transitional government in Sudan last October.

“We condemn Sudan’s security services for killing, harassing and intimidating Sudanese citizens. These actions are exacerbating the crisis in Sudan and are a direct contradiction to the Sudanese security services’ stated commitment to participate constructively in a facilitated process to resolve Sudan’s political crisis and return to a democratic transition,” said Brian E. Nelson, undersecretary of the treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence.

The Sudanese government joint forces, led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, killed at least 82 protesters during the demonstrations against the military coup since October, Agence France-Presse reported.

The coup in October has hindered power-sharing agreements between civilians and the army who have been negotiating since the 2019 overthrow of Omar al-Bashir, the hard-line dictator who ruled the country for nearly 30 years.

As a result of the imposed sanctions, “all property and interests in property of the CRP that are in or come within the United States, or that are in the possession or control of U.S. persons, are blocked and must be reported to OFAC.”

This is the first time the U.S. has imposed sanctions on a Sudanese institution after the fall of the former al-Bashir regime.

A man flashes the victory sign during a protest in Khartoum to denounce the October 2021 military coup in Sudan. AP