Sudan: Submission to the 54th Session of the Universal Periodic Review

1. This joint submission by Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and CSW-Nigeria (CSW-N) seeks to highlight violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) and related human rights which have taken place in the Republic of the Sudan during the reporting period.

Introduction

2. During its third Universal Periodic Review (UPR), Sudan received 283 recommendations, of which 244 were accepted and 39 noted.¹ Among the accepted recommendations were two recommendations relating to FoRB²; one recommendation to combat hate speech and racial discrimination³ and over 70 recommendations on gender equality and the rights of women.⁴

3. Before Sudan’s third cycle review, Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) jointly conducted a coup d’état, disrupting the agreement for a period of transition and reform culminating in democratic elections and a transfer to an elected administration.

4. Between October 2021 and April 2023 there were flagrant rights violations and an undermining of reforms and improvements that had been made during the transitional period. Violations of FoRB included the arrest, detention, torture of civilians accused of apostasy and incidents of interference with the affairs of Christian places of worship. Additionally, the space for civil society was increasingly restricted, with individuals working with the civilian-led transitional government being targeted.

5. On 15 April 2023 fighting broke out between the SAF and RSF in Khartoum and subsequently spread across Sudan. The ensuing conflict, described by the UN Fact-Finding Mission as ‘a war of atrocities’⁵, has seen widespread and egregious human rights violations, including acts that may amount to genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, committed by parties to the conflict. The war has so far led to an estimated 100,000 deaths, displaced 14 million people, and left around 30 million people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.

6. Reported violations include attacks on critical civilian infrastructure, such as hospitals, places of worship, educational facilities and markets; targeting of civilians on the basis of identity; the introduction of discriminatory policies in SAFcontrolled areas, including the ‘Strange Faces’ policy; widespread conflict-related sexual violence affecting women, girls, men and boys; torture; and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

To read the full submission, here is the pdf.

^1. 1 United Nations, Report of the Working Group of the Universal Periodic Review: Republic of the Sudan, 20 April 2022, https://docs.un.org/en/A/HRC/50/16; United Nations, Report of the Working Group of the Universal Periodic Review: Republic of the Sudan, Addendum, ‘A/HRC/50/16/Add.1, 3 June 2022, https://docs.un.org/en/A/HRC/50/16/Add.1

2 Ibid, Recommendation from Afghanistan, 137.106 (supported): ‘Adopt a comprehensive anti-discrimination and equalities law, banning discrimination on such grounds as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, age or disability’; Recommendation from Indonesia, 137.149 (supported): ‘Continue to enhance the promotion of interfaith dialogue and religious tolerance’.

3 Ibid, Recommendation from Armenia, 137.89 (supported): ‘Strengthen relevant legislative policies and take further administrative measures to combat hate speech, racism, xenophobia and related intolerance’.

4 Ibid, Recommendations included calls for the ratification of the Convention on all forms of Elimination Against Women (CEDAW) and a recommendation from Malta, 137.246 (supported) to ‘implement ‘measures for the protection and prevention of sexual and gender-based violence, in addition to mechanisms for accountability, in conflict affected and displacement settings.’

5 United Nations, ‘A war of Atrocities’: UN human rights investigators warn Sudanese civilians are paying the highest price,’, 5 September 2025, https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/09/1165784