Burhan drops charges, grants immunity

Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has moved to clear a legal path for a proposed Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue, ordering criminal cases against participants to be dropped and granting temporary immunity to those who take part. Justice Minister Abdallah Darf announced the decision in Khartoum on Tuesday, saying the order applies to cases filed by state authorities against Sudanese whose political views or activities had exposed them to prosecution if they returned to the country. The step is one of the clearest formal measures yet tied to an internal dialogue initiative that has been promoted in recent weeks as a possible political opening during Sudan’s war. But the legal gesture comes as civilian groups dispute the process and as displacement around El Obeid continues to deepen. ### Who exactly is covered by Burhan’s decision? (english.ajel.sa) Justice Minister Abdallah Darf said on September 1 that Burhan’s order cancels criminal reports linked to political opinions or activities for Sudanese returning to join the dialogue. Reports from Ajel English, Darfur24 and Dabanga said the immunity is temporary and tied to participation in the national dialogue process. Sudan Tribune and other regional outlets reported that the decree was framed as a way to enable politicians and other Sudanese abroad to return for the talks without facing pending state-filed cases. (fananews.com) One report described it as the first formal legal guarantee attached to the initiative. ### What guarantees are dialogue organizers asking for beyond Burhan’s order? A Sudanese-Sudanese Dialogue Preparatory Initiative said this week that it wants a broader package of guarantees and procedural immunities to make an inclusive dialogue inside Sudan possible. (english.ajel.sa) The group said those protections are needed to create what it described as a safe and conducive environment for participation. (sudantribune.com) Fana News and the MSN-carrying version of the statement said the initiative’s demands go beyond the immunity already announced by the authorities. The group’s position indicates organizers want assurances not only for returning figures but also for participants traveling, meeting and speaking inside the country during the dialogue process. That reading is an inference from the initiative’s call for procedural immunities and guarantees for an internal dialogue setting. (msn.com) ### Why is the African Union being criticized over this process? The African Union Commission endorsed the internal dialogue initiative, according to reports cited by The National, Sudan Tribune and other outlets. That endorsement drew objections from Sudanese civilian coalitions and political groups that said the move backed an inconclusive process and risked bypassing conditions they consider necessary for a credible political settlement. (msn.com) Sudan Tribune reported that some opponents argued the AU position conflicted with charters, rules or earlier understandings about how a Sudan process should proceed. The criticism centered on whether a dialogue launched under army sponsorship can be treated as sufficiently inclusive while the war continues. ### How does El Obeid fit into this story? (msn.com) Save the Children said more than 200,000 people fled to El Obeid in the first half of 2026, citing government figures, and the U.N. said more than 15,000 families had arrived since mid-July. Aid groups described the city and camps on its outskirts as overcrowded, with worsening access to basic services. EDGE News reported on September 1 that humanitarian workers described conditions in El Obeid as “dire and deteriorating.” Separate reporting last month also cited surging displacement across Kordofan and attacks affecting power and water infrastructure in the city. (msn.com) ### What comes next in the dialogue push? Reports published on August 31 and September 1 said the preparatory initiative is seeking to organize consultations among political, civil and community forces as groundwork for a broader national dialogue. (edgenews.net) Burhan’s legal order now gives that effort a concrete procedural step, even as disputes over participation and legitimacy remain unresolved. The next test is whether named Sudanese political and civic participants accept the guarantees on offer and whether the preparatory initiative can convene talks inside Sudan under the protections it has requested. (edgenews.net) As of September 2, the initiative’s guarantees, the AU’s endorsement and conditions in El Obeid were all moving on parallel tracks. (fananews.com) (darfur24.com)