Photo Frédéric Mathot
19 December 2025
In front of the European Parliament in Brussels, European and international human-rights organisations joined several social-media activists from the European Union on Friday, 19 December 2025, for a journalistic action. Participants said they wanted to draw attention to the human-rights situation in Sudan and to reports of chemical weapons being used against civilians by the Sudanese Armed Forces, as they believe has been cited recently in media coverage.
The organisers presented the action as a continuation of earlier mobilisation efforts in Europe. They linked their message to reporting by France 24 and Euronews which, in their reading and together with members of the EUB network, shows signals that point to chemical agents being deployed against civilians. Chlorine gas was explicitly mentioned. The central demand repeated in Brussels today was that the European Union and international partners exert pressure to halt the use of such agents, while also pursuing a ceasefire, a peace plan and access to humanitarian assistance.
Figures shaping the debate
The participants placed their call in the context of a humanitarian emergency that, according to their communication, is on a scale that is difficult to ignore. They speak of more than 150,000 deaths. They also refer to a hunger crisis affecting more than 25 million people and the displacement of more than 14 million people.
Along the same lines, the organisers argue that the conflict too often remains out of view in Europe, while the consequences for civilians weigh heavily on everyday life. They also say the action is intended to better inform young people in Europe and beyond about the scale of the crisis and how it affects migration, security and humanitarian aid.
Photo Frédéric Mathot
Regional players and military support
Andy Vermaut, journalist and human-rights defender, linked the situation in Sudan to the role of countries in the region. He stated that, in his view, Egypt provides support to the Sudanese Armed Forces and that this support helps prolong the dynamics of violence. In the same passage, he referred to more than two million people who, according to the information provided, have fled to Egypt.
Vermaut also emphasised Iran, which, according to his statement, supports the army with drones and weapons. Turkey and Qatar were also mentioned as countries that, in his view, contribute to the continuation of the conflict through arms supplies or influence. In his explanation, he extended this line of reasoning to the reports about chemical agents, citing chlorine gas as a concrete example and Khartoum as a location that was mentioned.
Photo Frédéric Mathot
Analysis and a duty to act
Sadaf Daneshizadeh, a representative of Prosperous Iran, said the conflict cannot be viewed solely as an internal crisis. She referred to broader regional dynamics and to external actors who, she argues, exert indirect but very real influence. In her contribution, Iran was mentioned in relation to military cooperation and the transfer of capabilities such as drone systems, which she said prolong the violence and further strain the humanitarian situation.
Manel Msalmi, women’s-rights activist and human-rights adviser at the Milton Friedman Institute, linked the cited reports to a broader responsibility. In her words, it is about safeguarding the dignity and rights of civilians, wherever they live. She called for continued monitoring of the situation and for not remaining silent when there are signs of further deterioration and additional risks to civilians.
At the end of the action, the (volunteer) participants reiterated their joint call: an immediate ceasefire, a peace plan that works on the ground, and guaranteed access to humanitarian aid, food and shelter. Their message also places the displacement crisis at the centre, raising the question of how long international decision-making can lag behind needs that are already visible today.
EU Review