Sudanese forces attacked protestors in hospital: Amnesty

Paris, France | AFP | Sudanese security forces stormed a hospital to pursue people seeking treating from gunshot wounds sustained during protests against President Omar al-Bashir, Amnesty International said Thursday.

Soldiers fired live bullets and teargas as they entered the hospital late Wednesday in Omdurman, twin city of the capital Khartoum, roughing up doctors and patients, the rights group said.

“This attack on a hospital is an outrageous violation of international law,” Amnesty’s deputy director for East Africa, Sarah Jackson, said in a statement.

Wednesday’s rally in Omdurman was the latest in weeks of street protests over the government’s decision to triple the price of bread.

Riot police fired tear gas at hundreds of protesters and the government confirmed Thursday that three people had died.

That brought the official death toll from the protests so far to 22.

But Amnesty said more than 40 had been killed in more than 380 protests against rising living costs since December 19, and more than 1,000 arrested.

Jackson called on the government to take “immediate action to stop the practice of shooting protesters and respect the Sudanese people’s right to freedom of expression”.

A doctor told AFP late Wednesday that six protesters were being treated at Omdurman’s main hospital for gunshot wounds.

Amnesty did not say if the soldiers detained any of the patients.