Journalists condemn newspaper confiscations in Sudan

The Sudanese Journalists Network (SJN) has condemned the confiscation of copies of El Tayyar and El Khartoum daily newspapers on Thursday, without giving any explanation. Hassan Barkiya, a SJN member, told Radio Dabanga that the Sudanese security forces confiscated the newspapers directly after printing yesterday. This is a hindrance to the work of journalists and is contrary to the government’s claims about press freedoms in the country, he believes. Journalists in Sudan face a series of restrictions, prosecutions, and harassments by the government or security service on a daily basis. They work in an environment which is hostile to freedom of the press and freedom of expression. On Saturday 19 July, the editor-in-chief of El Tayyar was attacked inside the newspaper’s office in Khartoum. Osman Mirghani had to be transferred to a hospital for treatment, and was released the following Wednesday. He accused the government for assaulting him, and not the ‘Hamza Combat Group against Atheism and Heresy’ which has claimed responsibility for the attack. “The reasons are most likely to be found in El Tayyar’s exposure of the widespread corruption within government institutions.” Meanwhile, Hassan Ishag, correspondent for Khartoum-based El Jareeda newspaper, has remained in detention since 10 June in El Obeid without charges. File photo: Journalists and SJN members marching to the National Council for Press and Publications in Khartoum, in protest of the attack against Osman Mirghani on 20 July. (Radio Dabanga correspondent) Related: Concern for health of detained Sudanese journalist (5 August 2014) Sudan: Editor-in-chief El Tayyar newspaper attacked (20 July 2014)