Sudanese authorities hold a journalist without charges

Nov 24, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — A Sudanese journalist is held incommunicado since two days without charge, a newspaper said on Friday. Security services arrested the journalist without informing journalists union as provided for by law.

“Our colleague, journalist Al-Tahir Satti was arrested by police last Wednesday 22 November and remains in detention in an unknown location. Satti was arrested with neither the knowledge of his family, Al-Sahafa’s administration, where he works, nor the journalist’s union where he is a member of the executive office.” Al-Sahafa newspaper reported.

Satti was absent from his workplace at the newspaper on Wednesday. His family informed Al-Sahafa yesterday that he had not returned home Wednesday evening which had caused them extreme anguish.

The newspaper received several calls yesterday asking about him and following intense contacts it was confirmed that he is being detained by the police. However, no one was allowed to visit him.

Head of the Sudanese journalist’s union Mehy-al-Din Titawi reaffirmed that all day yesterday the union had been contacting the concerned authorities regarding Satti’s detention.

In a press statement, Titawi said the union would continue to follow the issue and called for Satti’s prompt release. The union had held a meeting yesterday during which a number of issues were discussed. During the meeting the importance of freedoms, abiding by the rule of law in matters of publication and the necessity of it being informed of any journalist arrests were stressed.

The newspaper and publications law stipulates that the journalists’ union must be notified if any journalists are summoned for questioning by the prosecution.

Despite the signing of the CAP and the adoption of the Interim constitution in January and July respectively, Sudanese journalists are still subjected to harassment and arrest by the different security services.

(ST)