Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) strongly condemns the brutal killing of former Sudanese Member of Parliament Siham Hassan Hasaballah,

who was reportedly shot dead by gunfire from elements believed to belong to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) during their ongoing invasion of El Fasher, North Darfur.

This heinous act constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and, given its deliberate targeting of a civilian figure known for her humanitarian and civic work, may amount to a war crime under the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

According to eyewitnesses and local reports, Siham Hassan was killed while attempting to shield civilians trapped amid RSF attacks on residential neighborhoods in El Fasher. She was widely respected for her tireless humanitarian efforts and her long-standing commitment to the people of Darfur—particularly through community projects assisting displaced persons and vulnerable families. During her parliamentary service, she also played a prominent role in advocating justice for victims of human rights violations and demanding accountability for atrocities in the region.

WJWC affirms that this assassination is not an isolated crime but part of a broader and well-documented pattern of systematic violence against women in Sudan, especially in conflict-affected areas. Reports by international and regional organizations, including the United Nations and WJWC, have consistently documented widespread acts of sexual violence, gang rape, torture, abduction, and identity-based killings perpetrated by RSF elements against women, girls, journalists, and humanitarian workers in Darfur, Khartoum, and other regions.

The organization stresses that the targeting of women and activists in this manner reflects a deliberate policy of intimidation and societal terror—an attempt to silence communities and dismantle civic resistance through gender-based violence. Such acts amount to the use of sexual and physical violence as weapons of war, in blatant defiance of international humanitarian and human rights law.

Women Journalists Without Chains expresses its deep concern over the persistent silence and inaction of the international community and influential states, whose failure to take tangible measures to hold perpetrators and their financiers accountable effectively constitutes political and moral complicity in the ongoing atrocities.

WJWC therefore calls on the United Nations, the African Union, the League of Arab States, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to:

Take immediate and concrete steps to protect civilians, particularly women and girls, in Sudan;

Establish an independent international investigative mechanism to collect evidence, document crimes, and ensure the prosecution of those responsible before the International Criminal Court;

Issue a clear and unequivocal international condemnation of the assassination of MP Siham Hassan Hasaballah and other crimes committed against civilians.

WJWC further urges international partners, humanitarian actors, and global women’s rights movements to amplify the voice of Sudanese women and demand accountability for those who continue to use violence, terror, and sexual assault as tools of warfare.

In concluding its statement, Women Journalists Without Chains remarked that the late Siham Hassan had not carried a weapon but a conscience that refused to yield to fear or injustice. They noted that her assassination served as a painful reminder of the price paid by those who defend humanity amid darkness and highlighted the world’s continued failure to protect them.

Issued by:

Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC)

October 27, 2025