Sudan coup: UN rights body opens urgent session

Geneva: The U.N.'s top human rights body is holding an urgent session about Sudan on Friday after a military coup there nearly two weeks ago, with Britain, the United States, Germany and Norway leading a push to commission an expert to monitor the situation.

The Human Rights Council debate is taking place while the United Nations still recognises the ambassador from the deposed Sudanese government as the country's official representative in Geneva, raising questions about how or if the military leadership in Khartoum will be represented during the session.

The push for a human rights expert comes amid mounting international pressure on Sudan's top general, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the forces loyal to him who dissolved Sudan's transitional government and detained other government officials and political leaders in the Oct. 25 coup.

The actions of the Sudanese military are a betrayal of the Sudanese revolution, of the democratic transition, and of the hopes and aspirations of the Sudanese people, Simon Manley, Britain's ambassador in Geneva, said in a statement sent to The Associated Press.

Fundamentally, this is about respect for democracy and human rights.