Call on Sudanese journalists to ‘take stronger action’ against bannings

The Sudanese Journalists Network has denounced the suspension of the publication of El Tayar newspaper and called on journalists to take a firm and strong position against the violations of freedom of press.

Khalid Ahmed, the network representative, said that they will resist the decision through all peaceful means, including calling out the network members for a strike. Faysal El Bagir, the coordinator general of Journalists for Human Rights Network (JAHR), considers the current violations as a continuation of the approach of the government to suppress freedom of expression and press.

In an interview with Radio Dabanga, he describes the Khartoum regime as “a state of police security where the security apparatus enjoys powers over the Presidency and judicial institutions. He pointed out that banning and seizing newspapers has become a daily occurrence.

He asked the journalist community “to continue to expose the abuses and refuse the policies using all means available, including access to law courts, even though they are not independent.”

El Bagir also called for continuation of advocacy campaigns at global, regional and local level. “Journalists must take stronger collective action than ever before. The journalist community is capable of doing so.

Editors released

On Wednesday evening, the state security prosecutor released El Tayar editor Osman Mirghani and the editor of El Sayha newspaper, Ahmed Yousef El Tai on personal bail. The editors were arrested and interrogated for hours about press items that the prosecution said “would incite against the government and undermine the constitutional order”.

Both charges potentially carry the death penalty. Osman Mirghani held a press conference hours before his arrest in which he announced his intention to take legal steps for the return of his newspaper, which the security services have suspended indefinitely. He stressed that the security services have not so far notified him of the reasons for the suspension of his newspaper.