Sudan continues media crackdown by blocking UN radio’s website
The Sudanese national telecommunication Corporation (NTC) has blocked the United Nations website of the UN radio Miraya FM. The website — which apparently is partly hosted in Sudan – was for at least four hours unreachable. The government declined any comment. The government has started a campaign against all media, journalists and human rights activists reporting on sensitive issues concerning Darfur and the national referendum.
The Sudanese national telecommunication Corporation (NTC) has blocked the United Nations website of the UN radio Miraya FM. The website — which apparently is partly hosted in Sudan – was for at least four hours unreachable. The government declined any comment. The government has started a campaign against all media, journalists and human rights activists reporting on sensitive issues concerning Darfur and the national referendum. The UN radio Miraya is not allowed to broadcast in Northern Sudan, but its website reaches the North. The BBC lost this year its license for using FM repeaters, standing accused of breaching the ‘sanctity of law’.
On 30 October the national security arrested 14 people including reporters, lawyers and human rights activists accused of working for Radio Dabanga.
Radio Dabanga is currently the only station providing daily independent news and information for the region of Darfur in different local languages.
Why the government stopped the website is unknown, but earlier on Wednesday, the Arabic website of Miraya FM published a statement from an armed rebel group in Darfur.
(Sources: Miraya, AFP, Sudan Tribune website, Radio Dabanga).
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