(RSF/IFEX) – Over a three day period, the issues of three Sudanese newspapers were seized and a journalist arrested after they criticised the government’s recent withdrawal from peace talks in Nairobi with the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). “We protest these decisions and are concerned about the repeated attacks on the press in recent […]
(RSF/IFEX) – Over a three day period, the issues of three Sudanese newspapers were seized and a journalist arrested after they criticised the government’s recent withdrawal from peace talks in Nairobi with the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).
“We protest these decisions and are concerned about the repeated attacks on the press in recent months,” said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard. “The negotiations between the government and the SPLA are a crucial part of Sudanese political life. The press should be able to cover them without any pressure.” The organisation recalled that, over the past year, security police had closed down or seized issues from approximately 10 newspapers.
On 3 September 2002, Osman Mergani, a journalist for the daily “Al Rai Al Aam”, was arrested by security officials and taken to security headquarters. After a few minutes of questioning he was taken to Dabak Prison, north of Khartoum. Mergani was released on 5 September. The journalist had criticised the government’s withdrawal from the peace talks in a 1 September broadcast on Arab television station Al-Jazeera. Moreover, on 3 September, the newspaper published an article criticising Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha.
On the evening of 3 September, security officials seized the 4 September issues of two privately-owned newspapers, “Khartoum Monitor” and “Al-Horriya”, at the printing house.
On 4 September, “Khartoum Monitor”‘s editor-in-chief Albino Okeny and managing editor Alfred Taban were summoned to appear before security officials, who reproached them for criticising the government. The newspaper’s 4 September edition carried a speech by opposition leader Sadek El-Mahdi criticising the government’s withdrawal from the talks. Another article reported on demands made by Abyei, a town bordering southern Sudan, inhabitants who want to belong to the south instead of the north.
“Al-Horriya”‘s 4 September edition contained an editorial stating that suspending the talks was the wrong decision. On 5 September, the newspaper’s managing editor, Haj Warrag, and journalist Lubna Ahmed Husein were summoned to appear before security officials, who interrogated them about the editorial.
Moreover, the 5 September issue of the daily “As Sahafa” was seized at the printing house at dawn the same day. The 4 September issue had criticised the decision to withdraw from the peace talks.
