Most lawyers for Sudan’s ousted president Omar al-Bashir and other defendants walked out of his trial over a 1989 coup in protest at alleged bias on the part of the prosecutor general.
Dozens of lawyers, in a hearing broadcast on Sudanese television, left the courtroom after the prosecutor, Tagelsir al-Hebr, read out the charges.
Al-Bashir and the 27 others face accusations of undermining constitutional order and use of military force to commit a crime, Hebr said.
For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Defense lawyer Abdelbasit Sebdarat said that Hebr had made the same accusations even before taking up the post of public prosecutor.
“He lodged these complaints as an ordinary citizen. Now, as he is prosecutor general, we object to him reciting the charges,” the lawyer said.
Presiding judge Essam Ibrahim responded that “whoever wants to leave, they can,” and adjourned the trial to October 20.
Read more:
Port Sudan container terminal, major road blocked in peace deal protest
Sudan needs ‘deep’ debate before any Israel deal, says PM Hamdok
The 28 defendants stand accused of plotting the 1989 Islamist-backed military coup that brought al-Bashir to power.
The presiding judge Issam al-Din Mohammad Ibrahim (C) speaks during a hearing in the trial of al-Bashir (unseen) and 27 co-accused over the 1989 military coup, in Khartoum, on October 6, 2020. (AFP)
Proceedings have been repeatedly delayed, with Tuesday’s hearing the sixth since the trial opened in July.
Al-Bashir ruled with an iron fist for 30 years until his overthrow on April 11, 2019 following unprecedented youth-led street demonstrations.
If convicted, al-Bashir and his co-accused - including former top officials - could face the death penalty.
Al-Bashir is also wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in the western region of Darfur.
The United Nations estimates 300,000 people were killed and 2.5 million displaced in the conflict since 2003.
Sudan’s transitional government has agreed that al-Bashir would stand trial before the ICC.
However, in an August peace deal with rebels, the government agreed to set up a special court for crimes in Darfur and that al-Bashir should also face that court.
Also Read
-
Sudan prosecutor: Omar al-Bashir to be referred to trial after appeal period
Former president Omar al-Bashir will be referred to trial after an appeal period of one week, Sudan’s acting prosecutor general told reporters ... Middle East -
Sudan government, rebel groups sign landmark peace deal
Sudan’s government and rebel groups on Saturday inked a landmark peace deal aimed at ending decades of war in which hundreds of thousands ... World News -
Efforts to unify soldiers in South Sudan ‘stuck’: UN envoy
The UN’s special envoy to South Sudan on Tuesday said almost no progress had been made in unifying the country’s warring forces under one army, as ... Middle East -
Sudan says it has dismantled terrorist cell in Khartoum, seized massive explosives
Sudanese authorities have dismantled a terrorist cell in Khartoum that had vast amounts of explosives which could threaten neighboring countries, said ... Middle East
