Security service arrests three journalists for covering doctors’ protest in eastern Sudan

July 30, 2015 (GADAREF) – Sudanese security service arrested three journalists Thursday for covering a protest staged by doctors in eastern Sudan state of Gadaref, reported the Sudan’s Journalistsfor Human Rights (JHR).

The security forces dispersed a sit-in by Sudanese practitioners outside the Gadaref Public Hospital to protest the suspension of 80 junior doctors in the state.

“Security Service arrested on Thursday morning, Mohammed Salman, a reporter of Al-Tayar newspaper, Salihin al-Awad, a reporter of Khartoum newspaper, and Suleiman Mokhtar a reporter at Almajhar newspaper ,from inside Gadaref Hospital while covering a strike for doctors,” JHR said Thursday.

According to the press advocacy group in Sudan , the journalists were conducted to the security service headquarters in Gadaref where they were detained from 11:00am to 01:00pm.

The security agents further confiscated Suleiman’s smart telephone claiming that he used it picture the protest.

However, the three journalists were released without being interrogated during the short detention.

The group praised the Sudanese journalists who work under difficult conditions and called to ensure press freedoms and abolish restrictions on freedom of publication and expression.

(ST)