Sudan journalists say 32 reporters killed, courts used to muzzle press

November 27, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s journalists’ syndicate said on Thursday that 32 reporters have been killed and 556 media violations recorded in the past two years, while a press rights group warned that courts were being used to charge reporters with capital offences.

The syndicate’s Gender Secretariat released the figures to mark the start of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.” The report highlighted that female journalists face particularly harsh conditions, with authorities employing repressive tactics including arbitrary detention and work bans.

The syndicate said “malicious complaints” were being used as a weapon to intimidate reporters. It cited the case of a female journalist banned from travel due to her anti-war views and warned of rising digital violence targeting women.

Calling for an immediate end to the war, the syndicate urged conflicting parties to stop “using women as tools in conflicts” and pledged to continue defending journalists working in unsafe zones.

Separately, the Sudan Media Forum (SMF) warned that the judiciary was being used to prosecute journalists under laws carrying the death penalty.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the forum condemned a “fierce and systematic campaign” by justice institutions, warning that legal statutes were being exploited to frame unarmed journalists as combatants to criminalise free speech.

The forum expressed specific concern for Rasha Awad, editor-in-chief of Al-Taghyeer newspaper, stating she was the target of a smear campaign alongside legal prosecution. It also declared solidarity with journalists Shawqi Abdel Azim, Maher Abul Joukh, and Sabah Mohammed Al-Hassan.

The SMF further criticized authorities for denying journalists citizenship rights, such as passports and identity documents. It described the practice as “unconstitutional collective punishment” designed to restrict their movement and ability to work.