Sudan votes amid opposition boycott against Bashir
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Sudan is voting in elections expected to be won by its war-crimes-indicted President Omar al-Bashir after the main opposition called for a boycott.
Small queues formed at polling stations, with voters saying the elections guaranteed stability.
The opposition and Western powers said the polls lacked credibility because of political repression.
Mr Bashir has ruled Sudan since 1989, and is charged by the International Criminal Court (ICC) with genocide.
The 71-year-old president denies the charges, which arose from the conflict in Darfur.
‘Power struggles’
The African Union (AU) has rejected the ICC’s attempts to have him arrested, arguing that Mr Bashir enjoys presidential immunity and therefore cannot be tried while in office.
Sudan election:
- President Omar al-Bashir is up against 15 little-known candidates
- 44 parties are taking part in the parliamentary poll
Key issues:
- US relations – lifting economic sanctions and getting the country removed from the list of state sponsors of terrorism
- Securing peace – there is fighting in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile
- Economy – when the South Sudan seceded, the country lost most of its vital oil revenues
BBC
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