Sudan’s military authorities have given initial approval for former president Omar al-Bashir to travel abroad for medical treatment, his lawyer said on Wednesday, although the decision has yet to receive final clearance.
Mohamed El-Hassan El-Amin, a member of Bashir’s defence team, told Sudan Tribune that the 82-year-old requires medical tests and procedures that are not available inside Sudan.
He said Bashir was not currently in critical condition but was experiencing symptoms requiring specialist examination.
A request for permission to travel abroad had been submitted to the military authorities and received preliminary approval, El-Amin said. Final authorisation remains dependent on senior military and political officials.
The development follows reports this week that Bashir’s health had deteriorated, prompting renewed calls from his supporters and legal representatives for treatment outside the country.
According to El-Amin, Bashir is currently receiving treatment under military custody at Aliaa Specialist Hospital in Omdurman.
Bashir ruled Sudan for nearly three decades after taking power in a 1989 military coup before being removed following mass protests in April 2019. Court proceedings against him and several former officials over the 1989 coup were suspended after Sudan’s war erupted in April 2023.
He also remains wanted by the International Criminal Court, which issued arrest warrants in 2009 and 2010 over allegations of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur. The ICC continues to list Bashir as at large.
