Sudan RSF detain a journalist and a politician in El Gezira

A unit of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) detained the chief photographer of El Gezira El Khadra satellite channel at an RSF base in Beika, El Gezira, yesterday, “without providing any explanation”. A member of the Sudanese Congress Party was detained in El Gezira capital Wad Madani by the paramilitary group on Monday.

In a statement seen by Radio Dabanga, the official platform of the Council of Ministers quoted a reliable source yesterday, saying that the RSF illegally held photographer Khaled El Hado “while he was travelling from El Hosh village to Wad Madani without justification this morning”.

El Hado’s family and colleagues have expressed concerns about his detention, fearing for his health, and demanding his immediate and unconditional release.

In similar circumstances, the Sudanese Congress Party (SCP) said in a press statement yesterday that the RSF detained party member El Sadig Bur’i, from his home in the Mayo 40 neighbourhood of Wad Madani, the capital of El Gezira, on Monday.

The SCP condemns the targeting of “peaceful political and revolutionary leaders, whether in political forces, resistance committees, emergency committees, or civil society organisations”, considering it “a continuation of efforts to militarise public space and restrict civil action”.

The party holds the RSF responsible for the safety of Bur’i and the other detainees and demand their immediate release.

Dozens of human rights violations against journalists, press workers, and political figures have been reported in Sudan since the war began on April 15 last year.

Earlier this month, the National Umma Party (NUP) announced that two of its members, Abdeljalil El Basha and El Tayeb Mohamed Ahmed, were detained by the RSF and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) respectively.

Last week Friday, Haisam Dafallah, editor-in-chief of El Midan news outlet, and his brother were held by an RSF unit in front of their home in eastern Khartoum.

On Monday, the Sudanese Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party reported that party member Mohamed Badri was tortured in military detention in Khartoum North which led to his death on September 17 last year.

In a report covered by Radio Dabanga yesterday, the Sudanese Journalists Network (SJN) strongly denounced the targeting of journalists by the SAF and the RSF during the war that has been raging for more than eight months.