Sudan’s NISS seize ‘Al Jarida’ newspaper, journalists gagged

Agents of Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) have reportedly seized the print run of Khartoum daily newspaper Al Jarida on Thursday, banned two journalists from writing, and cautioned several others. Al Jarida editor-in chief Ashraf Abdul Aziz told Radio Dabanga that elements of the security apparatus entered the printing works at midnight and confiscated the Thursday edition that had just been printed. Aziz said that the agents did not give any reasons. “This is the second time the NISS confiscated the newspaper,” he said. “Also for the second time, journalist Salah Aouda Shere has been banned from writing for two weeks, and Zuhair Os from writing for ten days. They also issued warning to several other writers,” Aziz concluded. Sudanese journalist honoured The Global Media Forum and the US branch of Reporters Without Borders announced on Thursday that Sudanese journalist Faisal Mohamed Salih (52) imprisoned for defying the regime of President Omar Al Bashir and speaking out human rights issues, has been named the recipient of the 2013 Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism. Along with several other journalists, Salih faced criminal charges in June 2011 after reporting on the alleged rape in custody of activist Safiya Ishag by agents of Sudan’s National Security Service. In May 2013, Salih was arrested again. At the time, journalists told Radio Dabanga that they believe Faisal was arrested following an interview he gave to Al Jazeera TV on April 19 where he talked about president Bashir and the fact that journalists are also being targeted by security to quash freedom of expression and opinion. The annual Peter Mackler Award “honours reporters and editors who have demonstrated a commitment to fairness in the story well told, and a matching commitment to defending the right to publish and air that story in countries who repress independent media”. Previous recipients of the award have been Lukpan Akhmedyarov (Kazakhstan 2012), Karla Rivas (Honduras 2011), Ilya Barabanov (Russia 2010), and JS Tissainayagam (Sri Lanka 2009). The award ceremony will take place at the National Press Club in Washington DC, 24 October. File Photo: Faisal Mohamed Salih (AsSudan.net) Related: Sudan’s NISS bans ‘Al Youm Al Tali’ daily newspaper, gags reporters (18 July 2013) Security rearrests Faisal Mohamed Salih, confiscates two newspapers (16 May 2013)