🎧 Episode Overview
In this episode, Dr Miranda Melcher speaks with Mossaad Mohamed, a human rights lawyer, conflict resolution specialist, and Executive Director of the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS). Mossaad shares his personal journey into human rights work and the experiences in Darfur that shaped his commitment to fighting for justice.
Mossaad explains ACJPS's work documenting human rights violations and international crimes in Sudan, pursuing strategic litigation, and advocating at national, regional, and international levels. He discusses the organization's work with UN mechanisms, including the Human Rights Council, and its efforts to ensure that violations are documented for future accountability.
The conversation focuses particularly on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Sudan and the joint submission by ACJPS and Just Access. Mossaad explains why the UPR is important and examines what has—and has not—changed since Sudan's previous review in 2021.
The discussion also explores the dramatic deterioration of Sudan's human rights situation since the outbreak of war in April 2023, including torture, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, sexual and gender-based violence, child recruitment, and attacks on peaceful protesters.
Finally, Mossaad reflects on what needs to happen next, identifying an end to the war as the most urgent priority and emphasizing the importance of continued documentation, advocacy, and accountability for those responsible for atrocities.
👤 Guest Bio
Mossaad Mohamed
- Human rights lawyer and conflict resolution specialist.
- Executive Director of the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) since 2015.
- Has worked on human rights and access to justice since the early 2000s, including in Darfur.
- Works on documenting human rights violations and international crimes, strategic litigation, and advocacy at national, regional, and international levels.
- ACJPS is a partner of Just Access in efforts to strengthen accountability and access to justice for victims and survivors in Sudan.
📚 Resources & Links
🗒️ Key Take-Aways
- Documenting violations is essential for future prosecutions and accountability.
- Strategic litigation can help challenge unjust laws and promote institutional reform.
- The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) provides an important mechanism for monitoring and addressing human rights concerns in Sudan.
- Many recommendations made during Sudan's 2021 UPR have not been implemented, while the human rights situation has dramatically deteriorated since 2023.
- Ending the war is an urgent priority for reducing further violations and creating conditions for accountability.
- Individuals and organizations can contribute through advocacy, documentation, and financial or logistical support for those working to protect human rights and pursue justice in Sudan.
📢 Call to Action
- Subscribe to the Just Access Podcast to receive future episodes.
- Share this episode with colleagues and networks interested in Sudan, international criminal law, and human rights.
- Leave a review on your preferred podcast platform to help others discover the show.
- Support Just Access's work by donating at https://just-access.de/donate.
- Everyone can be a human rights defender.
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