The Sudanese authorities released, on Sunday 115 of the 135 anti-coup activists who had been held for weeks in the capital's prisons. These releases are the result of pressure exerted by the lawyers of political parties, civil society organisations, families of the victims and the international community.
Human rights advocates, politicians, and members of the resistance committees opposed to the coup d'état of 25 October which enabled General Hemedti to seize power, had been arrested during night raids at their homes or during peaceful demonstrations.
These protests had continued despite a drastic repression by the new Junta security services, leaving 82 civilians dead and injuring more than 2,000 citizens, according to local doctors.
According to the lawyers' collective defending the detainees, the protesters were arrested without any charges being brought against them and without any legal procedure being followed. Among the 20 protesters still held are some political figures. Most of them are former members of the regime of former head of state Omar al-Bashir, who prior to the coup were investigating the corruption of elites close to the deposed regime.
General Hemedti, (full name Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo), is currently on an official visit to Russia where he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss future military cooperation between the two countries.
Under pressure from the international community after the military coup of October 25, the arrival of the Sudanese colonel in Russia puts the creation of a naval basis in Sudan back on the table. Indeed, an agreement was signed in 2020 between both parties, but has so far been put on the sidelines.
This agreement would allow Russia to further assert its geopolitical return to the African continent, by allowing 300 Russian troops and four military ships, including a nuclear-powered vessel, into its base in Port Sudan.
Still, Khartoum also sees its benefit in this strategic and military partnership. This would represent a way to break the diplomatic isolation of the Sudanese junta, which is facing a popular mobilization that does not seem to fade.
Russia is indeed with Egypt one of the few countries that did not condemn the putsch last October in Khartoum, which put an end to the 30-year long former regime of Omar al-Bashir in Sudan.
Sources: CommonSpace.eu with Reuters (London), RFI (Paris) and other media outlets
Picture: Anti-coup protesters in Khartoum ; Twitter: @ADFmagazine
