Security agents at Sudan's Khartoum airport on Sunday evening prevented two civil society activists from travelling to Geneva to attend a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council scheduled for Thursday.

Activists Sawsan al-Shiwaya and Muawia Shadad had their passports seized as they tried to exit the country through the airport.

Sawsan told Radio Tamazuj that the security agents told her that she was banned from travel although she followed all official procedures at the airport.

She pointed out that meetings of the Universal Periodic Review - a regular UN process where countries report on human rights and justice issues - will take place on Thursday. Swanson said the UPR reviews human rights situations in all UN member states, not only Sudan.

She sharply criticized the Khartoum government for restricting freedom of movements.

On Friday, Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Service also prevented journalist Faisal Mohamed Saleh and member of Solidarity Committee Sadiq Yusuf from travelling abroad.