Sudan witnessed 66 incidents of newspaper suspensions in a year: report

May 2, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – There were 66 cases of confiscation or suspensions against Sudanese newspapers over the last year, a press watchdog said in a report released today.

Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) network also said in its report which covers the period from May 3, 2014 to May 2, 2015 that there were 13 physical attacks on journalists.

There were 34 cases of direct action by authorities against journalists which include detention, arrest, summons to appear and interrogation.

JHR which released the report on the anniversary of press freedom day, said there some violations committed against female journalists that were kept private at the request of the victims.

9 female journalists were subject to abuse incidents by the police, 20 by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS).

There were 12 summons incidents against female journalists by the press prosecutor’s office and state security and 18 by other governmental bodies.

The report also claimed that NISS resorted to hacking Sudanese news websites and email accounts of journalist.

It noted the case of journalist Amir al-Sunni from al-Khartoum newspaper whom it said was asked to disclose passwords of his email and social media accounts to NISS agents.

Despite his refusal his accounts ended up being hacked, JHR said.

JHR also observed growing trend of migration by Sudanese journalists due to crackdown on press and financial difficulties faced by the newspapers employing them.

Last February, NISS seized entire print runs of 14 newspapers in one day without stating reasons.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir defended the tight control of newspapers saying that when media houses publish false information that creates mistrust between people and government, authorities must invoke the law.

Sudan’s constitution guarantees freedom of expression but laws subordinate to the constitution such as the National Security Forces Act of 2010 contains articles that can be potentially used to curtail press freedom and instigate legal proceedings against newspapers and individual journalists.

Sudanese journalists work under tight daily censorship controls exercised by the NISS.

Journalists say that confiscation and suspension of newspapers is a commonly used practice by the local authorities to overburden the newspapers with financial losses alongside other non-financial pressures.

(ST)