Situation of Human Rights in the Republic of the Sudan

Distr.: General | February 26, 2026 Sixty-first session | Agenda item 4 ### I. Introduction and Overview

I. Introduction

This report is presented during a period of unprecedented strain on the international human rights architecture. As of early 2026, the global community faces a convergence of armed conflict, the weaponization of essential resources, and a calculated rollback of legal protections for the most vulnerable.

The following series of reports provides a detailed analysis of six critical theaters of crisis. Each report moves beyond mere observation to offer concrete legal pathways for accountability, grounded in the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Rome Statute. The objective is to provide the Task Force with a clear framework for diplomatic and legal intervention to arrest the current slide into global impunity.

1. This report is submitted pursuant to the urgent mandate of the Global Human Rights Task Force to assess the catastrophic deterioration of the human rights and humanitarian situation in Sudan. As of February 2026, the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has entered a phase of total state fragmentation.

2. The mission finds that the deliberate obstruction of humanitarian relief, the use of heavy weaponry in densely populated urban centers, and targeted ethnic killings in the Darfur and Kordofan regions have reached the threshold of crimes against humanity and war crimes.

II. Findings on Starvation and Systematic Destruction

3. Intentional Famine: Famine is no longer a "risk" but a lived reality in North Darfur and parts of Kordofan. The Task Force has documented systematic "starvation sieges" where warring parties intentionally destroy crop cycles, loot grain silos, and block aid convoys to force the surrender of local populations.

4. Attacks on Infrastructure: Since January 2026, there has been a 40% increase in drone strikes targeting water treatment plants and the few remaining functional hospitals. These are not collateral damage; they are documented efforts to make civilian life unsustainable.

5. Ethnic Dimensions: The takeover of El Fasher in late 2025 by the RSF followed a pattern of "genocidal intent," characterized by the execution of non-Arab men and boys and the widespread use of conflict-related sexual violence against women from the Zaghawa and Masalit communities.

III. Legal Analysis and Accountability

6. Under International Humanitarian Law (IHL), specifically Rule 53 of Customary IHL, the use of starvation of the civilian population as a method of warfare is strictly prohibited. The current actions in Sudan constitute a flagrant violation of this rule and the Rome Statute.

7. The failure of the domestic judicial system to investigate these crimes necessitates the immediate intervention of international legal mechanisms to prevent total impunity for high-ranking commanders.

IV. Legal Recommendations

• The UN Security Council (UNSC): Must adopt a binding resolution under Chapter VII of the UN Charter to establish "Humanitarian Protection Zones" around key aid hubs, authorized to use all necessary means to ensure the safe passage of food and medicine.

• The International Criminal Court (ICC): Should issue urgent arrest warrants for individuals identified as responsible for the 2025 El Fasher atrocities, specifically targeting the financial backers and military leadership of the RSF and SAF.

• Member States: Must exercise Universal Jurisdiction to detain and prosecute any individuals present on their soil who are suspected of commanding units involved in ethnic cleansing or the blocking of famine relief in Sudan.

• Global Financial Institutions: Legally mandate the freezing of all assets held by subsidiary companies linked to the gold and livestock trade that fund the warring factions' military procurement.

II. Conclusion

The evidence presented in these reports indicates that the current global crisis is not merely a series of isolated events, but a systemic failure to uphold the rule of law. From the scorched-earth tactics in Sudan to the erasure of civic identity in other regions, the thread of impunity remains constant.

The Global Human Rights Task Force must move beyond "expressions of concern." We recommend a shift toward active legal deterrence, utilizing universal jurisdiction and targeted economic consequences for those who orchestrate these violations. Peace is not simply the absence of war, but the presence of justice. The international community’s credibility rests on its ability to enforce the legal standards it once collectively swore to uphold.