Editor-in-chief El Tayar released from hospital in Sudan’s capital

(UPDATED) The editor-in-chief of El Tayar daily newspaper, Osman Mirghani, was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday. After recovering from injuries inflicted by a group of masked gunmen on Saturday, Mirghani left El Zeitoun hospital on Wednesday. He directly went to the newspapers’ office in downtown Khartoum. At El Tayyar office, the editor-in-chief told the press about the attack. He said that six gunmen stormed his office on Saturday just before sunset. A seventh assailant then joined them. They insulted him and beat him until he lost consciousness, and was transferred to the hospital. The Khartoum police investigating the incident revealed that it has obtained important information about the attackers. An unknown group, calling itself the Hamza Combat Group Against Atheism and Heresy, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement distributed in downtown Khartoum on Sunday. The group has vowed to attack anyone who is “openly hostile to the Palestinian resistance”. Mirghani had defended the idea of normalising relations with Israel last week in a Sudanese TV talk show. He had also written a column on the issue in the newspaper. The TV programme was recorded more than three weeks ago, but aired at the time of the Israeli attacks on Gaza. On Sunday, about 500 journalists went to the streets in “an outrageous protest against the terrorist attack”. The march went from El Tayyar office to the National Council for Press and Publications, where representatives of the Sudanese Journalists Network submitted a memorandum. They demanded freedom of expression, and the arrest of the perpetrators.‘Dangerous development’ The Journalists Human Rights Network accused “officials” within the Sudanese government of being behind the threats and attacks on journalists. “They want to prevent the press exposing the widespread corruption and human rights abuses in the country.” Feisal El Bagir, a prominent member of the Network, told Radio Dabanga on Wednesday that there exist “factions within the government that are supporting these kinds of cowardly crimes”. “Certain government officials are facilitating violence against the media and politicians.” He demanded the formation of a commission of inquiry into the attack on Osman Mirghani, and other threats to journalists. Journalist and writer Mohamed Latif called the violence against Sudanese journalists “a dangerous indicator that may lead to the disintegration of the country”. “The spreading use of violence in Sudan makes all sectors in the society prone to assaults,” he told Radio Dabanga. “Religion is constantly used as a stick to threaten with, as an excuse for terrorism. Each and everyone use the motto of religion to set the law to their hands. The state uses violence, the Sudanese government uses violence, the opposition movements use violence, and the outlaws, extremists, and terrorists use violence.” Latif also criticised the Sudanese parliament for justifying the attack on the editor-in-chief of El Tayyar by saying that Mirghani should have expected fierce reactions to his stance on normalising relations with Israel. “It is a very dangerous development, when official bodies as the parliament encourage the use of violence.” “This may lead to the disintegration of Sudan,” Latif warned. He called upon the political parties and civil society in the country to take steps to reverse the current of attacks. News photo: Osman Mirghani leaving the hospital, making the sign of victory with two pens (Radio Dabanga correspondent) Related: Unknown group claims attack on Sudan newspaper (22 June 2014) Sudan: Editor-in-chief El Tayyar newspaper attacked (20 July 2014)