ANHRI, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, strongly condemns the continuous targeting of Sudanese journalists by Omar Al-Bashir's security forces, against the backdrop of their coverage of protests in Sudan.
ANHRI, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, strongly condemns the continuous targeting of Sudanese journalists by Omar Al-Bashir’s security forces, against the backdrop of their coverage of protests in Sudan. ANHRI also condemns their control of newspapers.
Last Monday, Sudanese security forces arrested 9 journalists from the Umma Party (UP) in Omdurman city, during the journalists’ participation in a seminar organized by a Sudanese journalist’s network. The seminar was set up to condemn the control imposed by the authorities on newspapers.
In addition, the Sudanese activist Samar Merghany is supposed to appear in court – after having been arrested – because she has filmed protests.
Merghany was taken to a police station and beaten. The police inspected her cell phone and charged her with false accusations. Moreover, they harassed her and threatened her with rape.
It is reported that Omar Al-Bashir’s security forces have launched a fierce campaign against activists and journalists in Sudan, in order to ban them from covering incidents impartially. The security forces are attempting to control newspapers in order to describe what is happening in Sudan, seeing as the recent protests have been against the regime.
On Thursday 26 September, Sudanese authorities confiscated three newspapers and prevented them from being issued. The newspaper Almeghar was banned for five days, while Alsudani newspaper was suspended for three days. Alwatan newspaper was also suspended, despite the fact that these newspapers have close ties to Sudanese authorities.
The Sudanese authorities held a meeting with the editors-in-chief of Sudanese newspapers – along with the directors of different media outlets in Sudan – to inform them not to spread any news about the incidents taking place in Sudan nowadays, before consulting the authorities there.
Sudanese authorities have previously shut down the offices of Sky News Arabia and Al Arabiya in Khartoum, and confiscated their licenses. Security forces have also arrested Saad El-Din Hassan, a reporter for Al Arabiya, and Tarek El-Tegany, a reporter for Sky News. They were both released following their arbitrary arrests.
ANHRI stated that, “The fierce security campaign against media outlets by the authorities aims to weaken the morale of activists, journalists and opinion-makers, so as to prevent them from doing their work and transmitting information about the Sudanese protests – which reveal the brutal abuses by the regime – to both local and international audiences”.
ANHRI warns against Omar Al-Bashir’s continued use of security measures and crimes against the Sudanese people. The Sudanese people aspire to have freedom, and security measures will not thwart their will.