Nairobi — Sudan should immediately rescind its decision to shut down four civil society organizations in Khartoum in December 2012. The government should allow independent groups to operate freely and conduct peaceful protests.

International donors, diplomats, and organizations involved in Sudan, including the United Nations' independent expert on Sudan, should all insist the government halt its crackdown and repair the damage already done.

"Sudan should reverse its draconian steps against civil society groups, and international actors should publicly condemn such measures," said Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "The government-led campaign against Sudanese civil society organizations seems designed to stifle diversity, human rights, and dialogue on issues of critical importance, rather than to serve any legitimate purpose."

On December 24, the Culture Ministry closed the Sudanese Studies Center (SCC), a cultural organization that promotes peace and democracy, for one year, based on a decision in November that the group was undermining national security and acting contrary to its mandate. The same ministry in November closed another cultural group, Beit al-Fanoon.

On December 31, the eve of Sudan's independence day, officials from the Interior Ministry's Humanitarian Affairs Commission (HAC) entered the Khartoum offices of the Khatim Adlan Center for Enlightenment and Human Development (KACE), which promotes cultural diversity, democracy, and dialogue, with a ministerial decree canceling its registration without explanation. Officials forced staff to evacuate and confiscated property. Separately, National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) summoned a Sudanese writer, Zeinab Beliel, and ordered the literary criticism forum she chairs to cease all activities.

HAC officials also ordered the shutdown of Arry, a group that promotes human rights in the Nuba Mountains of Southern Kordofan and in Blue Nile. Arry staff members told Human Rights Watch that security officials had attempted to arrest several members of the group in Khartoum in October and November, and on December 19 interrogated four staff members, threatened their families, and ordered them to stop the group's activities, citing alleged foreign links.

"The authorities shut down these groups on nebulous allegations and prevented them from seeking a legal remedy," Bekele said. "They should rescind the administrative decisions immediately or let the groups appeal them, and return the seized assets."