Human rights activists have criticised Squire Patton Boggs for representing the Sudanese government in its attempts to repeal US sanctions.

SPB is being paid $40,000 a month to lobby the US government to cancel a scheduled 'snap back' of sanctions against Sudan which had been temporarily relaxed. The US has previously accused the Sudanese regime of being a state sponsor of terrorism. Sudan's president Omar al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. And Sudan is on Trump's travel ban list, although given its success so far the country probably doesn't have to worry about that.

Human rights campaigners are also deeply concerned by the actions of the Sudanese government, and have expressed shock that SPB, a major lobbying firm in the US, has decided to take the regime's money. John Prendergast, founder of the "anti-atrocity policy group" Enough Project, told RollOnFriday "Squire Patton Boggs stains itself by association with a regime with an atrocious human rights record and a long history of supporting terrorist organisations".

  "It's just ketchup, honestly."
 

A spokesman for Squire Patton Boggs attempted to equate Sudan to any other lobbying client, telling RollOnFriday, "for decades, we have represented foreign governments and foreign government institutions engaged in a productive dialogue with the United States or with which the United States government has taken steps to deepen or renew relations". He said, "our law firm will be working with Sudan as it seeks to meet the expectations of our government".

The US administration has previously said it will lift sanctions once it sees progress from the country in key areas including the fight against terrorism, the easing of bloody internal conflict and humanitarian access to the country. SPB's job will now be to convince the US that those targets have already been achieved.

No doubt the firm will capitalise on the cross-selling opportunities afforded by its CSR work providing legal advice to "refugees forced to flee from war or disaster".
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