(RSF/IFEX) -On 20 December 2002, RSF protested against the state security police’s seizure of three independent newspapers, “Al-Horriya”, “As-Sahafi al-Dawli” and “As-Sahafa”. The seizure came after a series of articles were published that reported on a rumour about food poisoning. “This move is especially serious because it incurs big financial losses for the papers,” said […]
(RSF/IFEX) -On 20 December 2002, RSF protested against the state security police’s seizure of three independent newspapers, “Al-Horriya”, “As-Sahafi al-Dawli” and “As-Sahafa”. The seizure came after a series of articles were published that reported on a rumour about food poisoning.
“This move is especially serious because it incurs big financial losses for the papers,” said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard, calling for the newspapers to be returned. The authorities have censored independent newspapers more than a dozen times so far this year for their handling of topics including circumcision, AIDS, peace talks with the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and discussion of the former power behind the regime, Hassan el-Turabi.
On 19 December, the police went to the newspapers’ printing houses and seized all copies of the edition in question. “Al-Horriya” editor-in-chief Saad Eddin Ibrahim said he was told the paper was seized because it had published an announcement by the Animal Resources Ministry denying rumours that a cattle illness had infected humans through meat and milk consumption. The government had previously banned articles about the alleged contamination. The two other newspapers were reportedly seized for the same reason.
