Sudan: Whether only sons are exempt from compulsory military service, and whether men who are so exempt must pay a fee in order to receive their exemptions
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 2 November 2000 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | SDN35788.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Sudan: Whether only sons are exempt from compulsory military service, and whether men who are so exempt must pay a fee in order to receive their exemptions, 2 November 2000, SDN35788.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4bea68.html [accessed 3 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
On 31 October 2000, a representative of the Sudan Human Rights Organization in Cairo stated that men who are the only sons or the only children of their parents are not exempt from military service under Sudan's military service law of 1992. However, the representative stated that military service may be postponed in the cases of men who are the only supporters of their families until such a time as the state is able to provide an equal level of support to the families (ibid.).
Moreover, in April 2000 the U.K. Immigration and Nationality Directorate stated the following in its Country Assessment for Sudan:
National service is compulsory for all men aged between 18 and 39 years. ... Service is for a minimum of 1 year and is essential for anyone hoping for government employment or, now, a place at a state university. Permanent exemptions are issued on medical grounds and in compassionate family circumstances (e.g. as regards an only son who is required to support the family after the death of his father).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), Home Office, U.K. April 2000. Sudan Assessment.
Sudan Human Rights Organization (SHRO). Cairo, Egypt. 31 October 2000. Correspondence.
