Sudan’s El Burhan Pledges Guarantees, Sets Out Amnesty Rules for Dialogue

• Sudan's Sovereignty Council chair Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan has pledged to provide guarantees for a planned national dialogue.
• The dialogue aims to bring together all political and community forces, with the goal of achieving broad national consensus and putting Sudan on the path to stability.
• Participants in the dialogue will have temporary procedural immunity from criminal, civil, or administrative proceedings related to opinions expressed during the sessions.
• El Burhan stressed that the state would not organise the dialogue or determine its agenda or outcomes, in respect for its independence and to safeguard its national credibility.

He said this protection extended to what participants said freely during discussions, meaning that their statements or opinions expressed during the dialogue could not be used as the basis for opening a case, bringing a lawsuit, or taking any legal action against them in the future.

Sudan's Sovereignty Council chair Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan has pledged to provide guarantees for a planned national dialogue. The dialogue is expected to bring together all political and community forces, with the goal of achieving broad national consensus and putting Sudan on the path to stability. According to El Burhan, the call for the dialogue came from a national group that had come together on its own initiative. This group has presented its vision for working as an independent national mechanism to prepare for an inclusive Sudanese dialogue.

The guarantees provided by El Burhan include temporary procedural immunity for participants in the dialogue. This means that individuals participating in the dialogue will have protection from criminal, civil, or administrative proceedings related to opinions expressed during the sessions. The immunity is intended to guarantee freedom and frankness in the dialogue, allowing participants to express their opinions freely without fear of legal action.

El Burhan explained that suspending proceedings against participants in the dialogue does not constitute a final relinquishment of rights, but rather temporary immunity required to create suitable conditions for dialogue. He also clarified that this temporary procedural immunity has no effect on the substantive rights of the parties concerned or on the final outcome of the proceedings.

The pledge by El Burhan to provide guarantees for the national dialogue is significant, as it aims to create a safe and conducive environment for participants to express their opinions freely. The immunity provided will allow individuals to participate in the dialogue without fear of legal action, which is essential for achieving broad national consensus.

Lawyers and compliance officers should note that the Sudanese government has pledged to provide legal guarantees, including temporary procedural immunity, for participants in the planned national dialogue. This means that individuals participating in the dialogue will have protection from criminal, civil, or administrative proceedings related to opinions expressed during the sessions.

Source: Original reporting via Radio Dabanga