Sudan: Commemorative rally to be held in Khartoum on August 17

Event

A rally is scheduled to take place in Khartoum on Monday, August 17, and in other urban centers nationwide. The 'million strong' rally, which has been organized by the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), will begin in Khartoum at 12:00 (local time) at both Jackson and Bahi Central stations, from which participants will march towards the Cabinet Office.

Given that previously associated demonstrations were well attended, heightened security measures and localized travel disruptions are to be anticipated in the vicinity of the gathering. Current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions prohibiting large gatherings increase the risk that any rallies will be forcibly dispersed by security forces.

Context

Sudan is currently in a three-year transition period under a joint civilian-military administration after the long-serving president Omar al-Bashir was ousted amid widespread anti-government protests in April 2019. However, pro-democracy groups under the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) coalition and the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) have continued to press for the expedited transfer to full civilian rule ahead of elections in 2022.

Advice

Those in Khartoum are advised to avoid the vicinity of the rally in order to mitigate the risk of exposure to potential crowd disturbances, opportunistic crime, and police crowd control measures. Travelers are further advised to closely monitor local media for updates regarding disruptions caused by the events.