Sudan Authorities: 83 Port Sudan Prisoners Trial Acceleration Agreed

• Eighty-three prisoners in Port Sudan suspended a hunger strike on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, after authorities agreed to accelerate their trial proceedings.
• The strike, initiated on Tuesday, protested prolonged detention and significant delays in legal processes.
• Officials, including the Red Sea Public Prosecutor and appeals judges, visited the detainees and committed to addressing their demands.
• Three new judges have been appointed to specifically handle these cases, with proceedings expected to commence next Sunday.
• The Public Prosecution pledged to transfer 18 ready files to the court from a total of 66, with remaining cases to be distributed among the newly appointed judges.

The agreement to suspend the protest is contingent upon the swift implementation of these commitments, with detainees prepared to resume their strike if the promised actions do not materialize by the stipulated deadline.

Eighty-three prisoners in Port Sudan temporarily halted a hunger strike on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, following assurances from authorities that their demands for accelerated legal proceedings would be met. The detainees had initiated an open-ended hunger strike the previous day, Tuesday, to protest the protracted periods of their detention and the significant delays in bringing their cases to trial. Their primary objective was to secure a resolution to their legal and humanitarian predicaments.

The decision to suspend the protest came after a series of high-level visits to the correctional facility. Officials, including the Appeals Judge responsible for overseeing prisons, the Appeals Judge tasked with supervising lawsuits, and the Red Sea Public Prosecutor, engaged directly with the incarcerated individuals to discuss their grievances. These discussions ultimately led to an agreement on several key points aimed at addressing the concerns of the 83 Port Sudan prisoners regarding their trial acceleration.

In response to the prisoners' demands, authorities committed to increasing the judicial capacity dedicated to these cases. The Al Jazeera Human Rights Observatory reported that three new judges have been appointed specifically to begin reviewing the detainees' files, with their work scheduled to commence the following Sunday. These Sudan judicial appointments in Port Sudan are a direct measure to tackle the existing Port Sudan prisoner case backlog.

Further commitments were made by the Public Prosecution, which pledged to transfer 18 case files, deemed ready for court, out of a total of 66 files currently under its purview. The remaining files are slated for distribution among the newly appointed judges, signaling a concerted effort to expedite the legal process for all involved. These Red Sea Public Prosecutor actions are crucial for ensuring the promised acceleration of trials.

Prior to the strike, the Al Jazeera Human Rights Observatory had lodged an urgent complaint with various international human rights mechanisms, highlighting the dire legal and humanitarian conditions faced by the detainees. The complaint specifically warned of a deteriorating situation, encompassing the health and psychological well-being of the prisoners, particularly those suffering from chronic illnesses. It also underscored the inadequacy of medical care and the severe impact of prolonged detention, which raises significant questions about Sudan detention conditions and human rights.

The urgent complaint was directed to prominent bodies, including the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in Sudan and a fact-finding mission, emphasizing the need for international scrutiny of Sudan fair trial rights. The agreement to suspend the protest is contingent upon the swift implementation of these commitments, with detainees prepared to resume their strike if the promised actions do not materialize by the stipulated deadline, underscoring the fragility of the current resolution.

Lawyers representing detainees in Port Sudan should monitor the implementation of new judicial appointments and the promised acceleration of prisoner trials, as this could significantly impact case timelines and strategies for clients facing prolonged detention.

Source: Original reporting via Sudan Tribune