On 11 October the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted Resolution 54/2, which establishs an independent international fact-finding mission (FFM) for Sudan to investigate and establish the facts, circumstances and root causes of all alleged human rights violations and abuses and violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), including those committed against refugees, and related crimes in the context of the ongoing armed conflict that began on 15 April 2023. The FFM is further mandated to collect, consolidate and analyze evidence of such violations and abuses; to systematically record and preserve all information, documentation and evidence in view of any future legal proceedings; to identify, where possible, those individuals and entities responsible for violations or abuses of human rights or violations of IHL, or other related crimes, with a view to ensuring that those responsible are held accountable; and to make recommendations, in particular on accountability measures, with a view to ending impunity and addressing its root causes, and ensuring accountability, including, as appropriate, individual criminal responsibility, and access to justice for victims; The resolution recalled that “Sudan has the responsibility to act in accordance with international humanitarian law, as well as to protect its population from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.” The resolution was adopted by a vote of 19 in favor, 16 against and 12 abstentions.
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