Sudanese Attorney General Tajelsir El Hibir made strict orders to the security and police forces against using live bullets or tear gas to disperse peaceful gatherings, expected on Saturday to mark the second anniversary of the popular revolution that toppled the regime of President Omar al-Bashir.
The revolution erupted on December 19, 2018 and continued until the announcement of Bashir's resignation in April 2019.
On Thursday, the cabinet stressed the need to develop a security plan to ensure the safety of the gatherings and protect them from any violence.
Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok called on the participants in the peaceful gathering to adhere to health safety measures and follow social distancing rules amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. He also stressed the need for the security forces to protect them against any unrest.
In light of these directives, El Hibir held a meeting Thursday with the governor of Khartoum State, Ayman Khaled Nimer, Interior Minister Al-Tarifi Idris, and several police officials, to discuss procedures for securing the marches.
Previous marches in Khartoum had been mired with violence after demonstrators were shot with live ammunition, leaving several people dead and injured.
El Hibir stressed the people’s right to peaceful demonstrations as stipulated in the constitutional document, underlining the state’s commitment to protecting them.
The popular resistance committees and political parties have called for peaceful marches to celebrate the second anniversary of the December revolution.
The marches will call for speeding up the formation of the transitional legislative council, supporting the civilian government, limiting the role of the military and restructuring of the security services and judiciary. They will also demand that members of the former regime appear before trial on charges of murder and looting public funds.