SUDAN NEWS ALERT: BBC – Sudan crisis: Internet restored – but only for lawyer

24/6/19: BBC – Sudan crisis: Internet restored – but only for lawyer

 Sudanese lawyer Abdel-Adheem Hassan has told the BBC that the internet has been restored after a three-week shutdown - but only for him.

 Hassan on Sunday won a lawsuit against telecoms operator Zain Sudan over the blackout ordered by Sudan's military rulers. He says his victory is only benefitting him as he filed the case in a personal capacity. He said he is going back to court on Tuesday to win the right for more Sudanese people.

 "We have a court session tomorrow and another one the day after tomorrow. Hopefully one million people will gain internet access by the end of the week," Hassan added.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Reuters – Sudanese security forces use violence to disperse student protest

24/6/19: Reuters – Sudanese security forces use violence to disperse student protest

 Reuters reports that Sudanese security forces used violence to break up a protest in Khartoum by dozens of students demanding that the military council hands over power to civilians.

 The demonstrators chanted “civilian, civilian” as they gathered in front of the National Ribat University in Burri neighbourhood near the ministry of defence, but security forces quickly chased them and beat them with batons, a Reuters witness said.

 A few protests have taken place at night in Khartoum and other state capitals since the June 3 massacre, but the Ribat University protest was the first demonstration in Khartoum to be held during the day.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: AP – Sudan’s military sidesteps proposal for civilian rule

24/6/19: AP – Sudan’s military sidesteps proposal for civilian rule, by Hussein Malla and Samy Magdy

 AP reports that Sudan’s military rulers refused to agree to the Ethiopian proposal for a power-sharing agreement with the Declaration of Freedom Change.

 The military council’s deputy head Himedti said that the Ethiopian proposal ws supposed to pave the way for the resumption of talks with the DFC, “not to offer proposals for solutions.”

 The Ethiopian mediator Mahmoud Dirir proposed a 15 member sovereign council govern Sudan for a 3-year period until elections, with 7 DFC and military representatives each, and 1 neutral civilian.

 Himedti said that he did not oppose civilian participation in the sovereign council, but that it “should be (formed) through elections.”

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Reuters – UN urges Sudan’s military to allow protester deaths probe

24/6/19: Reuters – UN urges Sudan’s military to allow protester deaths probe

 Sudanese authorities must grant human rights monitors access to the country and end “repression” against protesters and the shutdown of the Internet, U.N. human rights boss Michelle Bachelet said on Monday.

 Bachelet, in a speech opening a three-week session of the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, said that her office had reports that more than 100 protesters were killed and many more injured during an assault by security forces on a peaceful sit-in on June 3. “Hundreds of protesters may be missing,” she said.