Sudan’s journalists repeat demands for press freedom

Dozens of journalists protested in Khartoum on Wednesday against the ongoing press curbs by the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS). In solidarity with El Saiha newspaper, suspended by the NISS without a reason more than three months ago, the journalists staged a protest march in downtown Khartoum. They raised banners condemning the continuing crack-down of the media, the “humiliation and impoverishment of journalists”, and describing the NISS as a “press scrounger”. Representatives of El Sahafa daily newspaper submitted a memorandum to the Sudanese Press and Publications Council, demanding the return of El Saiha, and the restoration of the press freedoms. Sudanese journalists staged many protests this year already, as the NISS stepped up press curbs. Security offers tell newspaper editors-in-chiefs what to publish and not to publish. In case newspapers cross “the red line”, the print runs are confiscated, and editors and journalists are interrogated. The purpose of confiscating print runs is to exhaust the newspapers financially, the editor-in-chief of El Jareeda newspaper commented when El Saiha newspaper was suspended again in July. “It is in fact a direct and methodical liquidation, meant to kill the independent press.” According to the 2014 World Press Freedom Index, monitored by Reporters Without Borders, Sudan rates within the bottom 10 of the 180 countries surveyed. File photo: Journalists protest against press curbs in Khartoum, 2 June 2014 Related:Sudan security gags El Jareeda daily newspaper (25 September 2014) Sudanese authorities seize El Jareeda newspaper (9 June 2014)Sudan security renews suspension of El Saiha (7 July 2014) Sudanese journalists protest press curbs (2 June 2014) Sudanese General warns of ‘decisive battle’ with media (28 May 2014) EU call on Sudan to lift press curbs (28 May 2014) Committee to oversee Sudan media; NCF denounce El Mahdi’s arrest (23 May 2014) Press ‘warned’ in Sudan (21 May 2014)