Sudan protesters ask army hand over immediately

In an online statement, the movement depicted the army’s assurances as a “deception” and called for an immediate handover of power to a civilian transitional government.

The statement came shortly after a press conference on Friday in Khartoum by the country’s new military rulers.

The Sudanese Professionals Association, which has spearheaded the four months of demonstrations against al-Bashir, denounced the military’s statements as a “farce.”

It also vowed to “resist” by peaceful means all the extraordinary measures the military has imposed since Thursday’s ouster of al-Bashir, including the nighttime curfew and state of emergency.

Earlier, the UN human rights chief urged the new authorities in Sudan to ensure the protection of human rights and to refrain from using violence against the peaceful protesters in the capital, Khartoum.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet in a statement on Friday said “this is a very critical, volatile moment for Sudan and there is deep uncertainty and unease about the future.”

The statement came a day after the Sudanese military overthrew Omar al-Bashir, a president of 30 years.

The army arrested al-Bashir, imposed a state of emergency that includes a nighttime curfew, suspended the constitution and closed the country’s borders.

Bachelet says: “The crisis in Sudan has its roots in human rights grievances — economic, social, civil and political rights. The solution must also be grounded in human rights.”