Sudan court convicts blogger for insulting army chief al-Burhan

January 5, 2026 (DONGOLA) – A criminal court in the Northern state capital, Dongola, has convicted a blogger for insulting the head of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, in a Facebook comment.

Judge Mohamed Taj Fadl al-Sid ordered the defendant, al-Tayeb Mohamed Omer, to pay a fine of 2 million Sudanese pounds ($1,600) or serve six months in prison, according to the state-owned “Northern Now” platform.

The case, which was filed on December 21, stems from a comment Omer posted under the pseudonym “al-Tayeb Abunduq.” The comment was made in response to another blogger’s post about al-Burhan’s appearance at a social event during the ongoing conflict.

Omer wrote that “trembling hands do not build a nation” and described the general as “half a leader,” according to court records. The court ruled the remarks constituted an “explicit insult” and violated Article 26 of the Informatics Crimes Law.

The ruling comes amid heightened concerns from legal advocates following amendments to Sudan’s cybercrime laws approved on October 13. The updated legislation allows for the simultaneous application of fines and jail time. It grants security forces expanded powers to conduct electronic searches and seize digital content without a judicial warrant.

“This verdict is a form of oppression resulting from merging security agendas with legislation,” said Mohamed Salah, a member of the Emergency Lawyers group.

Salah told Sudan Tribune that the new legal framework contradicts international standards and facilitates the tightening of restrictions on freedom of expression.

Rights groups see the conviction as a potential precedent for a broader crackdown on social media criticism as the war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces continues.

Official representatives for the Sovereignty Council were not immediately available for comment on the ruling.