The rights organisation blamed the Sudanese Armed Forces for the attack and separately renewed calls for the release of detained lawyer Mohamed Ezzeldin Abdelrahim….reports Africa Daily News Desk
At least 35 people have been killed and others injured after a drone strike hit a customary court in North Darfur, according to Sudan’s Emergency Lawyers group, which blamed the attack on the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
The group said drones struck the customary court in Al-Zawiya Ghara village, Al-Serief locality, on August 2 while civilians were gathered inside the building and in its immediate surroundings.
According to Emergency Lawyers, the court was hosting a civilian gathering related to local cases and disputes when the attack occurred. The group said the strike caused a large number of casualties and damaged the court, which serves as a civilian judicial and social institution in the area.
Emergency Lawyers said the attack came amid continuing military operations in North Darfur and the increasing use of drones in populated areas and civilian gatherings.
The organisation strongly condemned the attack, arguing that targeting civilians and civilian facilities constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
It called for an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the strike and demanded that those responsible be identified and held accountable.
The group also urged all parties involved in Sudan’s conflict to respect the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution under international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians, judicial facilities and other civilian infrastructure from military operations.
Separately, Emergency Lawyers has called for the release of Mohamed Ezzeldin Abdelrahim, a lawyer and human rights defender who it says has been detained in Port Sudan since May 2025.
According to the organisation, Abdelrahim was arrested in Port Sudan on May 10, 2025, without a lawful arrest warrant. He was allegedly held for more than two months at the Military Intelligence Special Operations headquarters before being transferred to a security facility and later to Port Sudan Prison, where the group says he remains in custody.
Emergency Lawyers alleged that Abdelrahim was subjected to enforced disappearance during the initial stages of his detention and denied contact with his family and legal counsel. It said he subsequently spent several months in pretrial detention before appearing before a court.
The organisation said Abdelrahim has been charged under Articles 26, 50 and 51 of Sudan’s Criminal Act of 1991, Articles 24 and 26 of the Cybercrimes Act and Article 12 of the Red Sea State Emergency Law.
According to the group, the charges carry penalties that could extend to the death sentence.
Emergency Lawyers also alleged serious legal violations surrounding his arrest and prosecution. It claimed he was detained by an authority that lacked jurisdiction to hold civilians and was deprived of procedural protections guaranteed to lawyers under Sudanese law.
The organisation argued that the alleged violations undermine the legality of the proceedings and make Abdelrahim’s continued detention arbitrary under Sudanese law and international human rights standards.
It has called for his release and for authorities to respect legal safeguards and due process as concerns continue over the treatment of lawyers and civilians during Sudan’s ongoing conflict.
