Sudan remains among the most hostile countries towards freedom of speech in the Arab world and worldwide. Journalism remains a risky work for juornalists in Sudan, as they are punished with imprisonment or publication ban or threats for criticizing the government or covering violations against protests. Newspapers that do not adhere to oral orders sent by the authorities and the intelligence get confiscated.

The Sudanese regime made amendments on the Journalism Act which included granting powers to authorities in order to be able to confiscate newspapers and ban journalists from publishing.

Pursuing bloggers and internet activists continued, especially those who supported demonstrators protesting against high prices. Many detainees faced a vague destiny until they were released last April.

The following are examples of violations documented by ANHRI:

 

Violations against journalism and journalists:

  • 2018 began with the arrest of 7 journalists. On 17th January, security forces and Sudanese intelligence arrested the following journalists:
  • Amal Habbani “Freelancer”
  • Rashan Oushi journalist in “Al Majhar al Seyasi”
  • Emtenan al Radi journalist in “Al Youm al Tali”
  • Magdi Al Ajab from “Al Watan” newspaper
  • Shawqi Abdul Azim and Khaled Abdul Aziz from Reuters.
  • Abdul Monem Abo Edris, AFP

They were arrested during covering the protests that broke out against high prices and unemployment. The Sudanese authorities released the journalists four days after their arrest.

  • On 2nd March, Ashraf Abdul Aziz, editor-in-chief of Al Jarida newspaper, and Hassan Warraq, a journalist, choose to go to prison instead of paying a fine of 30 thousand Sudanese Pounds, a verdict issued by al Khartoum Misdemeanors Court on the background of accusations of defaming Sudan in an article written by Hassan Warraq, published in al Jarida, in 2016, criticizing corruption in the lands of Al Jazeera state. The two journalists were imprisoned in Om Dorman prison.

 

  • On 8 May, the prosecution summoned Ahmed Younis, a writer, and journalist in Al Sharq Al Awsat newspaper, issued from London. He was interrogated and released, them he was interrogated for a second time on the 10th of June, after which the prosecution issued a decision to withdraw his license for two months on the background of an article in which he was tackling corruption in the railway authority.

 

  • On 21st June, the Sudanese cabinet ratified the journalism act amendments. The amendments granted the national council for journalism wide powers to ban newspapers and journalists. The council, according to these amendments, is allowed to suspend newspapers for 15 days instead of 3 and ban journalists from publishing for open periods in case the journalist breached the law’s conditions. The listed conditions include insulting the president. Al Sadeq al Rezeiqi, head of the Sudanese Journalists Union, announced his rejection to these amendments, demanding thier cancellation. A number of journalists considered these amendments a funeral for press freedom.

 

  • On the 7th of July, security forces prevented Salma al Tigani from writing in any Sudanese newspaper, especially “Akhbar al Watan” in which she works. Tigani received a notification by the editor-in-chief, Hanadi al Seddiq, that she is banned from publishing on the background of her writings about the International Criminal Court (ICC) crisis and the Sudanese president family’s corruption.
  • On the 26th of July, Sudanese authorities summoned Hanadi al Seddiq, editor-in-chief of Akhbar al Watan newspaper, for the so-called “crossing the red lines”, al Seddiq was officially warned and notified that Tigani was banned from publishing.
  • “Akhbar al Watan” newspaper had published a series of articles tackling the International Criminal Court pursuit of President Omar al Bashir. Other articles criticized the deteriorating economic situation and corruption in Sudan.

 

  • On 9th October, the State Security Prosecution summoned five journalists: Ashraf Abdul Aziz, editor-in-chief of “al Jarida” newspaper and Shamaeil Al Nour newspaper, Maha AL Talb, journalist in Al Tayar newspaper, Lina Yakoub, al Sudani newspaper, Shawki Abdul Azim, Reuters, to be interrogated on the background of a complaint filed by a security apparatus against the five journalists for attending a meeting with Ambassador Jean-Michel Dumond, Head of Delegation of the European Union to Sudan, who was summoned by the Sudanese authorities to be informed that the regime rejects the meeting. They were released 3 days later.

 

  • On the 29th of October, a Sudanese court sentenced Zain Al Abdin al Ajab, former editor-in-chief of Al Mostaqella newspaper and Reda Baou, a journalist in the same newspaper, to two months and half month imprisonment and a fine of 5 thousand Sudanese Pound. The journalists were accused of publishing false news in two reports about Sudanese support of ISIS and receiving a fund from Qatar. They were released after their appeal was accepted.

Newspaper Confiscation

  • Sudanese authorities confiscated newspapers that have a different point of view from that of the authorities

 

  • Al Tayar newspaper was confiscated on 16th January for publishing a report surveying people’s anger with the government’s decision to lift subsidies on basic goods like flour, which led to price increases, especially bread which witnessed a price increase of 100%.

 

  • On 17th January, security and intelligence authorities confiscated “al Jarida” independent newspaper for two days. The confiscation came as a punishment for the editorial management as they refused oral orders to abstain from covering protests burst out in Sudan during 17th and 18th January. The confiscation took place on 4th July and 5th August without giving justifications.

 

  • On 21st January, Al Akhbar newspaper was confiscated right before distribution without justifications.

 

  • On 4th October, Al Tayar newspaper was confiscated for the second time without justifications, moreover, the security authorities investigated the two editors-in-chief of Al Jarida and Al Tayar newspapers on the 10th of October for attending a meeting with the EU  ambassador to Khartoum, in which they discussed the stance of freedom in the country.

 

  • On the 10th of October, al Jarida newspaper was confiscated again for one day.

 

  • On 10th of October, security and intelligence authorities summoned Al Taher Al-Tom, director of Sudan 24 channel, and anchor of Hal Al Balad TV program, on the background of hosting Mohamed Hamed Hamidti, Chief of Urgent Support Forces. Security forces notified Taher that his program was suspended and threatened him of closing the channel if he did not stop criticizing the regime.

Violating the right of peaceful gathering

  • On the 16th of January, police forces used teargas and sticks to disperse demonstrators protesting against high prices. Hundreds of citizens demonstrated near the presidential palace in Khartoum, protesting bread high prices. Riot police used teargas and sticks to disperse them. In the afternoon of 16th January, security forces raided into Seddiq Youssef’s house,  deputy of Sudanese communist party, as they searched the house, and arrested him. He was released on 22nd February along with a number of demonstrators. In a statement by the head of Al Jenina municipality, he announced the death of a secondary school student and the injury of 6 citizens in the city during demonstrations on 16th and 17th January. The official did not mention the reason for death, yet, he said that it will be investigated. Investigations in this incident did not commence until now.
  • Sudanese authorities arrested hundreds of protesters in January demonstrations, it released dozens, yet hundreds are still detained. Detainees families sent a message to international organizations on 12th February, calling for the detainees’ release or the uncovering of the places in which they are detained. The call did not receive any attention until al Bashir issued a decree to release all detainees on the 7th of April.

On the 26th of September, hundreds of Sudanese teachers announced they are going into strike demanding an increase in salaries. Al-Hajj Ali Mansour, minister of education, threatened to fire them and assign other teachers. Security forces pursued the strikers, some of them were summoned to state security and the strike was dispersed.

 

Pursuing bloggers and activists

  • On 16th January, activist Abdul Latif Abdul Latif Ali, was arrested by the intelligence and national security during his participation in a demonstration near the presidential palace in Khartoum. He was semi-kidnapped, as his place was unknown. Ali was released on 10th April after a presidential pardon.
  • On 8th November, Sudanese national security authorities accused Mohammed al Boushi, an activist, of espionage and inciting war against the state. These accusations may lead to the death penalty and it was aroused against him for criticizing the regime on Facebook.

Boshi, a former member in al Baath party, was detained before for his political stance. In 2011, national security authorities detained him for weeks after a speech in which he criticized Nafei Ali Nafei, a presidential counselor.

In 2013, he was detained for months during oppressing a demonstration. He was beaten and detained in a bad situation twice. His relatives said that in 2017 he went to Cairo seeking protection from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He continued to criticize the regime through facebook. The Arabic Network was not able to authenticate some news about Cairo handing him to Khartoum, yet, he is in the Sudanese prison now.