REPORT OF THE VIRTUAL JOINT FACT-FINDING MISSION ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN THE SUDAN

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

Background 
 
1.    It has been more than two years since the conflict in the Sudan erupted on 15 April 2023. This conflict has caused serious and massive human rights violations and disproportionately affected civilians, without sparing them the sanctity of life, human dignity and respect for fundamental freedoms. Civilians have suffered, indiscriminate attacks, leading to unlawful killings, destructions of civilian infrastructure, and lack of access to humanitarian aid. The conflict has also increased numbers of displaced persons as well refugees. The attacks have occurred across the Sudan, with high concentrations of attacks in Al Gezira, Blue Nile, Khartoum, North Darfur, South Darfur South Kordofan, and West Darfur. 

2.    The Joint African Union (AU) Fact Finding Mission (FFM) led by the ACHPR, mandated by the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC), undertook an investigation of the situation of human rights in the Sudan. The FFM took note of the comprehensive AU diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the conflict and restoring peace in Sudan. This included the establishment of the Expanded Mechanism for the Resolution of the Sudan Crisis, the adoption of the AU Roadmap outlining six essential pillars for conflict resolution, deployment of the AU High-Level Panel on Sudan, and consistent advocacy for humanitarian ceasefires and inclusive political dialogue, prominently featuring the Jeddah and Juba peace processes. The African Commission, consistent, with its mandate to promote and protect the human and people’s rights in Africa, have through this FFM process been further tasked to conduct a mission, to inquire into the nature, scope and extent of the human and people’s rights violation that is taking place and is caused by the ongoing conflict in the Sudan. This report is a consequence of that process. 
3.    The FFM conducted a virtual inquiry from June 2024 to March 2025 based on receipt of written and oral evidence. The sources of data used for investigation covers not only written submissions and oral testimonies but also digital evidence. The inquiry covered events in the Sudan from April 2023 to date. It focussed primarily on events that took place  primarily in Khartoum, Darfur (North, South, West), South Kordofan, Al Gezira, Blue Nile, and Senner States, as well as other parts of the Sudan. The FFM has further established that both the SAF and the RSF and their respective allied militia are responsible for the documented violations and must accordingly be hold accountable. The FFM report reflects factual and legal findings based on 10 thematic areas, covering the rights set out in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and other African human rights instruments. The investigation established that the following human rights violations occurred in the Sudan, since the beginning of the conflict in April 2023: -