Sudan / Middle East & North Africa

  

Iran, China drive prison tally to 14-year high

Relying heavily on vague antistate charges, authorities jail 145 journalists worldwide. Eritrea, Burma, and Uzbekistan are also among the worst jailers of the press. A CPJ special report

Read More ›

Sudan bans BBC Arabic, tightens grip on the press

New York, August 9, 2010—The Sudanese government has announced it is suspending the BBC’s license to broadcast in Arabic on local FM frequencies in four northern cities, including the capital, Khartoum. Security personnel also informed editors in recent days that journalists who had not completed an extensive government questionnaire would be detained, journalists told CPJ.  

Read More ›

In Sudan, court should overturn verdicts against journalists

New York, July 16, 2010–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Sudanese authorities to overturn convictions and prison sentences against three journalists working for Rai al-Shaab, a now-shuttered newspaper owned by the opposition Popular Congress Party. The court, ruling on Thursday in Khartoum, also ordered the confiscation of the newspaper’s property, according to CPJ interviews…

Read More ›

CPJ condemns censorship of Sudanese paper

New York, July 12, 2010—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a decision by the Security and National Intelligence Service to bar publication of the daily Al-Intibaha. Authorities suspended the newspaper last week because of the newspaper’s supposed role “in strengthening separatist tendencies in the south and the north,” a security official told local reporters.

Read More ›

CPJ calls on Sudan to end newspaper censorship

New York, June 7, 2010—The Sudanese government should halt ongoing newspaper censorship, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today, after at least two papers failed to appear on newsstands over the weekend.

Read More ›

Sudanese editor charged with terrorism and espionage

New York, May 25, 2010—Sudanese authorities have charged an opposition journalist with terrorism and espionage and allegedly tortured him while in custody, according to local news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists called today for the immediate release of Abu Zar al-Amin, deputy editor of the opposition daily Rai al-Shaab.

Read More ›

Sudan shutters opposition paper, arrests three journalists

New York, May 17, 2010—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Sudanese government’s decision to shut down opposition daily Rai al-Shaab and to arrest three of its journalists.

Read More ›

Sudanese journalist charged with ‘waging war’ against state

New York, April 14, 2010—The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on the Sudanese authorities to immediately drop criminal charges against prominent journalist and opposition party member Al-Haj Ali Warrag. 

Read More ›

Al-Bashir (AP)

Sudanese editors questioned for ‘insulting’ al-Bashir

New York, March 18, 2010—Sudan’s official press regulator, the National Press Council, should drop its investigation of two editors accused of insulting President Omar al-Bashir, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yass Omar al-Imam, editor-in-chief of the pro-opposition daily Rai al-Shaab, and Fayez al-Silaik, acting editor-in-chief of the independent daily Ajras al-Hurriya, were questioned Monday by officials with the…

Read More ›

Attacks on the Press 2009: Sudan

Top Developments•  Government continues to impose vast censorship.•  New press law falls short of international standards. Key Statistic 9: Men executed in editor’s murder. Observers call it a miscarriage of justice. Sudanese journalists worked amid political uncertainty and severe restrictions. Pervasive official censorship restricted journalists from closely reporting on the tumultuous events of 2009: The International Criminal…

Read More ›