KHARTOUM, August 17, 2026 (SUNA) — Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice and Head of the Legal Sector Ali Khadir stressed that protecting human rights begins with establishing justice and upholding its principles, emphasizing the urgent need to monitor and document all violations, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sudan.Khadir made the remarks while addressing the opening session of the first workshop on preparing Sudan’s fourth national report under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism. The workshop, held in Khartoum, focuses on recommendations from Sudan’s third UPR cycle concerning the social sector and was organized by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Welfare in cooperation with the National Human Rights Mechanism.He said the crimes committed by the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia sought to break the will of the Sudanese people and prevent them from achieving their legitimate aspirations for security, development and a dignified life.Khidr described the workshop as the first in a series of planned national consultative workshops that will involve all institutions and authorities concerned with human rights at both the federal and state levels. “Our meeting today represents a message of resilience and determination and reflects our firm commitment to human rights issues despite all challenges,” he said, adding that the process should translate the state’s human rights commitments into tangible measures that protect citizens’ dignity and rights.The Justice Ministry official said the workshop was taking place at a particularly sensitive and complex national and historical juncture, pointing to the consequences of the “brutal armed aggression” against Sudan.He said the conflict had continued to drain the country’s human and material resources and had extended to the systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure and attacks on state institutions and national assets. He also cited the depletion of human resources and the systematic destruction of information systems and national archives in an attempt to undermine Sudan’s national identity and disrupt the functioning of the state.From the standpoint of the National Human Rights Mechanism, Khadir stressed that monitoring and documentation must ultimately lead to the accurate and objective identification and classification of those responsible for violations, war crimes and crimes against humanity.He said those responsible should be pursued through legal and judicial processes, both domestically and internationally, in order to hold them accountable and uphold the established principle of “no impunity.”Khadir further stressed that the workshop’s outcomes should go beyond assessing past developments, describing them as a cornerstone in preparing Sudan’s fourth national report under the UPR mechanism.He said the forthcoming report should be a comprehensive and transparent national document that reflects the sacrifices of the Sudanese people and the challenges facing the country, documents the violations they have suffered, and, at the same time, highlights the state’s efforts and determination to fulfill its human rights and development commitments.BH/BH