Khartoum, Sep. 07 (CWNews.com) - Human Rights Watch has urged the government of Sudan to end arbitrary arrests and to curb executions, citing human-rights violations in the African country.

The international human-rights organization charged that Sudan has denied fair trials to suspects accused of capital crimes, and has executed prisoners under the age of 18-- in violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Sudan is a party.

On August 1 and 2, after the death of former rebel leader John Garang sparked rioting across the country, authorities arrested more than 1,500 people in Khartoum, Human Rights Watch reports. Many of those who were arrested have not yet been charged with any crime, and there are fears that they may face mistreatment in prison.