Sudanese security seizes printed copies of two newspapers
November 23, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese security service confiscated copies of al-Jarida and al-Tayyar newspapers from the printing house in the early morning of Thursday without providing an explanation.
Confiscation of printed copies is seen as an economic penalty on the press the security service decides when a newspaper publishes news or opinion articles criticising the government. But sometimes the measure aims to prevent publication of statements or disclosure of information on sensitive issues.
On its Facebook page, Al-Jarida newspaper announced the confiscation and published the headline of the confiscated issue which was a statement by the Information Minister Ahmed al-Balal saying “The Constitution is not a Koran and we will amend it to nominate Bashir to run for president.”
Voices inside and outside the ruling party started to launch calls to amend the Sudanese constitution of 2005 to allow President al-Bashir to seek a third term in power.
Al-Balal is a member of the Democratic Unionist Party which participate in the government since several years even before the national dialogue process.
However, the reason the triggered the punitive measure against al-Tayyar remains unclear.
A member of the al-Tayyar editorial board told Sudan Tribune they ignore the reason.
The National Press Council, which is in charge of licensing newspapers, could not be immediately reached for comment.
Press censorship was officially abolished in Sudan in 2009, but gradually the security services resumed the confiscation of newspapers since the secession of South Sudan in 2011.
(ST)