Sudanese intelligence service moves to resume direct censorship

Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services moved against two newspapers on Wednesday night, Ajras Al Huriya and Al Sahafa. The officers censored three whole pages from each paper. The raids yesterday came after security forces on Saturday night shutdown Al-Rai Al-Shaab, a newspaper affiliated with the Islamist political party of Hassan Al Turabi.

Ajras Al Huriya, a newspaper with close ties to the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, said that late yesterday night three security officers entered the premises of the newspaper asking to review the contents of the paper before printing. The newspaper stated on its website that the security officers removed 6 of the paper’s 12 pages from the news and columns sections. At the premises of Al Sahafa paper, officers likewise removed three pages and some other articles.

The raids represents a return to direct censorship, a practice which was suspended last year ahead under pressure from journalists and international scrutiny ahead of the elections conducted in April.