Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has dismissed a decision by authorities in Port Sudan to try him in absentia, describing it as a “desperate attempt” to avoid addressing the need to end the war in Sudan.
Hamdok, who heads the Civil Democratic Alliance of Revolutionary Forces (Sumoud), said the move does not concern him and does not alter his priorities, which he said remain focused on stopping the conflict and easing the suffering of the Sudanese people.
His comments came after the Anti-Terrorism Court in Port Sudan last week opened the first session of a mass trial involving 201 defendants, including Hamdok. Many of those named in the case are being tried in absentia.
In an interview with France 24, Hamdok said the trial was a distraction from the country’s deepening crisis and stressed that Sumoud’s efforts are centered on a political vision built around three core pillars: an immediate ceasefire, the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and progress toward a comprehensive political process.
He said this framework represents the most viable path to resolving Sudan’s crisis and called on all parties to prioritize ending the war rather than focusing on judicial proceedings that, in his view, serve political ends.
