The 1989 military coup that overthrew Sudan's democratically
elected government brought to power Lieutenant General Omar
Hassan Al-Bashir and his National Salvation Revolution Command
Council (RCC). Bashir and the RCC suspended the 1985
Constitution, abrogated press freedom, and disbanded all
political parties and trade unions. In 1993 the RCC dissolved
itself and appointed Bashir President. Presidential and
parliamentary elections were held in December. All major
opposition parties boycotted the elections, and there were
allegations of official interference and electoral fraud. Bashir
was elected to another 5-year term, and the National
Congress/National Islamic Front (NC/NIF) won 340 out of 360
seats in Parliament in the deeply flawed process. Despite the
adoption of a new Constitution through a referendum in June
1998, the Government continued to restrict most civil liberties.
Since 1989 real power has rested with the NIF, founded by Dr.
Hassan al-Turabi, who became Speaker of the National Assembly in
1996