More than 20 former officials are on trial alongside him.
Sudan’s ousted long-serving leader Omar al-Bashir has gone on trial in the capital, Khartoum, in connection with the military coup that brought him to power more than three decades ago.
The 76-year-old, who has already been convicted for corruption, could face the death penalty if found guilty over his role in the 1989 coup and was forced from power in 2019 following popular protests.
Bashir is also wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes and genocide in the western Darfur region. The authorities in Sudan said in February they were ready to hand over him to the ICC.
The civilian uprising started in late 2018 as anti-austerity demonstrations but quickly morphed into a call to end President Bashir’s rule.
On 11 April 2019, the military announced that he had been ousted and arrested.
A joint transitional government made up of the top army officials and civilians were later formed in August.
In 1989 Bashir seized power in a military coup on 30 June against the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Sadek al-Mahdi.
Along with other officials who served in his government Bashir is accused of having plotted the coup in which the army arrested Sudan’s political leaders, suspended parliament, closed the airport, and announced the overthrow on the radio.
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