If the Sakharov prize I hold is to mean anything, it must mean that Sudan matters to Europe, that the lives of Sudanese people are worth the same as those in Ukraine or Gaza. It cannot possibly mean that the same institutions who awarded me this prize are cutting deals
Salih Mahmoud Osman
In 2019, the Sudanese regime locked me in prison – again – for fighting for justice for the victims of atrocities in Sudan.
It was the voice of the European Parliament, alongside international pressure, that helped me get my freedom back. Before that, the same parliament had honoured me with the Sakharov Prize.
It is with the deepest gratitude for all this support that I am reaching out to all MEPs today. I have walked your corridors, spoken to your committees, and believed in Europe’s commitment to ending Sudan’s conflict.
However, while on Thursday (9 July) the European Parliament passes much-welcomed texts condemning the ongoing slaughter in my homeland, the European Union is simultaneously engaging in closed-door negotiations for a trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Yes, the same UAE that is fueling the war in Sudan.
Investigative journalism, human rights organisations, and the UN’s own panel of experts have provided overwhelming evidence: the UAE is fueling this war.
It is funding, arming, and providing logistical support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Recent EUobserver reports even expose how foreign mercenaries are trained in Libya with the UAE’s weapons before being deployed to slaughter Sudanese civilians.
As a Sudanese and a lawyer who has spent his life defending human rights, I know a painful truth: unfortunately, resolutions do not stop bullets. I wish they did.
El-Fasher was a clear example.
The city was under siege by the RSF for more than 18 months. The EU and the rest of the world were watching. Resolutions were passed and statements were made. Satellite images later revealed pools of blood and piles of dead human bodies across the whole city. The international community had once again failed to protect the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians.
After that, when in November 2025 I was invited to address the European Parliament, I very much appreciated the decision to impose sanctions against individuals affiliated with the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) following my speech.
Sanctions are needed, but, as with resolutions, they are not effective if not translated into real action. The EU should also support the International Criminal Court to bring all internal and external perpetrators who are responsible for these horrible crimes.
There are profound fears that the horrors seen in El-Fasher will be repeated in El-Obeid city.
Just on Monday (6 July), the UN Human Rights Council passed a motion condemning the escalating violence committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El-Obeid and setting up an urgent inquiry into alleged abuses there.
No mention of UAE
Unsurprisingly, the motion did not include any mention of the UAE’s role in fueling the conflict.
I am asking the European Parliament to, out of respect for the Sakharov Prize you gave me, and out of duty to the millions of Sudanese whose voices aren’t being heard: move beyond condemnatory resolutions and use the real leverage you have as an institution that can veto trade agreements.
The EU must immediately halt all trade negotiations with the United Arab Emirates. There must not be any other round of negotiations until Abu Dhabi completely and verifiably stops fueling the war in Sudan.
If the Sakharov Prize I hold is to mean anything, it must mean that Sudan matters to Europe, that the lives of Sudanese people are worth the same as those in Ukraine or Gaza. It cannot possibly mean that the same institutions who awarded me this prize are cutting deals with those funding the genocide of my own people.
