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Sudan has turned down a European Union request for cancellation of the death penalty
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Dec 4, 2008 - 6:01:10 AM

Sudan has turned down a European Union request for cancellation of the death penalty

 

Khartoum, Dec. 3 (SUNA)- Sudan has called on the European Union to refrain from imposing their vision on issue of cancellation of the death penalty, as this was question relative to religious and cultural concepts and that there was nothing from the pure legal point of view that makes it imperative on the Sudan in the domain of human rights accord to cancel the death penalty. The Rapporteur of the Advisory Council for Human Rights (ACHR) Dr Abdul Moneim Osman Mohamed Taha, has pointed out in a briefing to journalists following a meeting with an EU delegation in Khartoum that he has explained to them those executed around the world do not represent any significant percentage compared to those killed by the military machine and that he has called on the European Union to be consistent with itself and to close all arms producing factories and work to resolve the reasons behind the wars. He said the meeting also tackled the elections law, the human rights commission and how independent it is in addition to efforts exerted by the two partners in the Government of National Unity to agree on National Security Act and the referendum act. He said he has also mentioned the efforts deployed by the Ministry of Justice to include war crimes or what is known as the International criminal law within the Sudanese national laws. He said the Council has also explained the position of Sudan on CEDAW convention and pointed to the interpretations provided by the CEDAW commission which lacks legal experience thus interpreting the legislations in one direction and expects that different countries to reformulate their laws accordingly a matter that cast a lot of shadow on the position of the committee and that many circles in the Sudan expressed reservation over joining the convention. He said the Council has explained to the EU delegation that Sudan, even without the CEDAW convention, observes the rights of women, pointing out that a woman was elected Deputy Chairman of the Human Rights Commission and that a quota of 25% was set aside for women in the general elections. Commenting on the report of the High Commission for Human Rights that pointed to violations of human rights in Northern and Southern Sudan, the Rapporteur said there was no previous case where a report would be published based on situation four years ago, except when dealing with the Sudan. He stressed that such an attitude was not based on profession work or on regulation in the domain of human rights. He said the objective seemed to be to undermine the situation in the Sudan. He said the Council has stressed that southern Sudan human rights issues should be given a special treatment as this is a part of the county which is still under formation and which suffers from many problems including refugees and IDPs, the infrastructures and civil service challenges. He said the international community should have provided material and cadre training assistance in place of talking about human rights violations. Dr Abdul Moneim has however said the meeting with the EU delegation was a good opportunity and an indication that relations between the two sides were moving towards betterment and that the two sides have many common understanding for issues discussed. He said the Sudan has asked the Darfur Forum to come up with statistics about the situation there in place of rhetoric and contradictory statements by official and by voluntary organizations operating there a matter that could lead to misunderstanding by the international community about what was taking place in Darfur. MA/MA



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