Hot mic catches Sudan lawyer’s racist tirade against director on trial

Two defence lawyers were caught on a hot mic saying racist comments against the recently dismissed the Director-General of the Public Authority for Radio and Television, Luqman Ahmed, during a live broadcast of his trial on Sudan’s official news agency (SUNA), who later took down the video.

The hot mic caught the two defence lawyers during an intermission in the trial, describing the former director as a ‘slave’ and having ‘a big nose’. The two lawyers, Abubakir Abdelrazek and Mohamed Shawkat, were also on the defence team during the trial of the former leaders of Omar Al Bashir’s dictatorial regime.

The Darfur Lawyers Commission said in a statement, that they will contact and consult with Luqman Ahmed on what action should be taken. Other groups have called for an investigation into the incident and called on the authorities to remove the licenses of the two lawyers engaged in racism.

The head of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council, Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, dismissed the director from his post on 10 April. According to El Burhan’s media advisor, the director was dismissed due to his decision to show coverage of the anti-coup protests and “ignoring El Burhan’s news”. The director was originally appointed by former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok.

For many, the dismissal of Ahmed from his posting as director is an extension of a series of replacements for senior civil servants and ministries led by El Burhan.