Sudan’s transitional body on Thursday approved a law that calls for dissolving former President Omar al-Bashir’s political party and confiscation of all its properties, reported Reuters. Mr. Bashir came to power in a 1989 coup and ruled for almost three decades until he was overthrown by a protest movement in April.
Justice Minister Nasredeen Abdelbari said dissolving Mr. Bashir’s National Congress Party (NCP) means that the authorities can seize the party’s assets. He described the law as a measure to “dismantle” the former regime. The new law restricts members of al-Bashir’s old party from seeking an elective position in the next 10 years.
The law got a green signal in a joint meeting of Sudan’s sovereign council and cabinet that lasted several hours.
On Twitter, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said that the law was not an act of revenge. He noted that it was rather aimed at preserving the dignity of the people of Sudan.
“We passed this law in a joint meeting to establish justice and respect the dignity of the people, and safeguard their gains, and so that the people’s looted wealth can be recovered,” he added.
The ruling body also repealed a public order law that was used to regulate women’s behavior, freedom of dress, movement, association, work and study under ex-President Bashir. The action was taken in response to the key demands of protesters that helped overthrow his government in April.
The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which spearheaded the mass protests against Bashir, welcomed the law.
“It is an important step on the path to building a democratic civilian state,” the SPA said in a statement.
Sudan is currently ruled by a joint military and civilian council that will hold power for just over three years before elections. There’s a civilian-led cabinet headed by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Al-Bashir is being held in a prison in Khartoum facing trial on charges of corruption.
