Al-Burhan Grants Temporary Immunity for National Dialogue, Rules Out Return of RSF Leader Hemedti

Sudan's Sovereignty Council head and army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced measures to protect participants in an independent national dialogue, including a temporary suspension of criminal proceedings and legal safeguards for statements made during talks.

What Al-Burhan Said

Speaking during celebrations marking the 72nd anniversary of the Sudanese Armed Forces, al-Burhan said prosecutions against dialogue participants would be paused for the duration of the process. He emphasised that this temporary immunity is not a formal pardon and does not cancel the rights of those who filed complaints.

Al-Burhan: The suspension of proceedings will allow participants to engage freely without fear, while preserving complainants' legal rights.

He also pledged legal protection for opinions expressed in the dialogue, saying statements made during sessions would not be used as grounds for prosecution. According to al-Burhan, the initiative was proposed and will be overseen by a group of independent Sudanese figures; the state will not run the dialogue or impose its agenda or outcomes.

Conditions for Peace and the RSF

On the conflict, al-Burhan said the army is open to any serious peace initiative but will reject what he described as an 'incomplete peace' that simply restores the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its backers to power. The RSF is led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemedti.

He outlined steps he said were necessary for a sustainable peace: RSF forces must withdraw from cities and gather in designated areas, displaced people and refugees must be able to return home, and only then can discussions take place about the status of RSF fighters. Any integration of fighters into regular forces would be considered only for those who have not committed crimes and after appropriate vetting.

Domestic Political Steps and International Engagement

Al-Burhan said he has begun talks with national forces that supported state institutions in the past, with the aim of involving them in rebuilding government institutions, including representation in a prospective legislative council or parliament.

Meanwhile, a delegation from the African Union Peace and Security Council is due to visit Khartoum for a three-day mission to discuss the political and security situation. The visit, led by Algeria's representative as the council's rotating president for August, will include talks with al-Burhan, Prime Minister Kamil Idris, political groups and civil society organisations.

Sudan has formally requested that the African Union lift the suspension imposed after al-Burhan dissolved the Sovereignty Council and cabinet and declared a state of emergency in October 2021. In July, the AU special envoy to Sudan, Mohamed Belaiche, discussed mediation efforts and plans to reopen the AU office in Khartoum.

Context And Next Steps

Sources cited by Al Jazeera say the independent national mechanism is expected to hold a press conference soon to outline its vision and operational plans for the dialogue. Al-Burhan framed the measures as a way to create a public, open-ended process in which citizens can express views and criticism without fear of legal reprisals.