CAIRO (AP) — Sudanese medical officials warned Monday that more than 1, 500 unidentified bodies piled up in several of the country’s morgues could lead to an outbreak of disease, amid accusations the government is covering up their causes of death.

Among the deceased are believed to be pro-democracy protesters, who activists say were killed by government forces in their crackdown on demonstrations. They believe the failure to conduct proper autopsies is an attempt to conceal evidence of those killings.

Khalid Mohamed Khaled, a spokesperson for the government’s medical body, expressed concerns because of one of the morgue’s proximity to a market, saying the bodies “could spread cholera among local residents.”

At a press conference Monday, he and three other officials argued against the need to carry out independent autopsies, saying instead that there should be a mass burial of the bodies for public safety reasons.