Sudan lifts ban on Al-Sharq news channel, urges accurate reporting

March 24, 2025 (PORT SUDAN) – Sudanese authorities on Monday lifted a ban on the Saudi-owned Al-Sharq news channel, allowing it to resume operations, but emphasized the need for accurate reporting from official sources.

The ban, imposed on February 20, was communicated to the channel’s Port Sudan office by the Foreign Media Department of the Ministry of Information without explanation, according to Al-Sharq’s online platforms.

The move followed shortly after the channel broadcast a report concerning amendments to the country’s Constitutional Declaration. Information Minister Khalid Aleisir subsequently denied the report, stating that the leaked information was incorrect.

On Monday, a delegation from Al-Sharq met with Mujahed Mohamed Sati, the director of the Foreign Media Department, at the Ministry of Culture and Information headquarters in Port Sudan, the country’s temporary capital.

The state-run Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported that the meeting addressed lifting the temporary suspension of the channel’s activities. Sati provided a detailed explanation of the violations and circumstances that prompted the suspension.

Sati stressed the importance of verifying information with “official state sources” in future reporting and avoiding the publication of “incorrect” news that could jeopardize national security, SUNA reported.

“After the discussion, it was decided to lift the suspension of the channel’s work in Sudan,” SUNA quoted Sati as saying.

The Director of the Foreign Media Department at the Ministry of Culture and Information affirmed that press freedom is a cornerstone of the ministry’s policy but added that sanctions would be imposed for breaches of professional standards or the dissemination of false information that could undermine national security and stability.

Khalid Owais, director of Al-Sharq’s Sudan office, confirmed the channel’s commitment to adhering to regulations governing professional media practices, SUNA said.