Human rights, Freedoms
Sudan journalists syndicate extends council term, triggering resignations
September 14, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate has extended its leadership council’s term by three months after the war in the country forced it to postpone its general assembly, prompting three council members to resign in protest.
War broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, causing severe insecurity, displacement, and widespread disruption to civilian institutions and professional groups across the nation.
In a statement issued on Monday, the syndicate council said the extension was based on Article 28/6 of its statute, which allows it to continue operating for a renewable three-month term under force majeure conditions that prevent elections.
The council acknowledged that holding the general assembly on time was a democratic requirement, but said the fighting prevented an in-person, secure meeting where members could participate freely and safely.
The syndicate noted that its 2022 internal rules require the assembly to convene in person, adding that a remote meeting was unfeasible because of security constraints, logistical disruptions, and the widespread displacement of journalists within Sudan and into exile.
The leadership described the extension as a temporary step to avoid an administrative vacuum while it prepares logistics to convene the assembly and hand authority to an elected body.
The council also said it would end the syndicate’s institutional involvement in any political or organizational coalition taking part in the conflict, a move intended to preserve its independence and prevent factional alignment.
It said the decision would not alter its advocacy for press freedom, civil liberties, and an end to the fighting.
Following the announcement, council members Mashaer Diraj, Khalid Fathi, and Sara Taj Elsir submitted their resignations in a joint statement, saying they could no longer serve in line with their principles.
The three members said the mandate extension fell under the sole jurisdiction of the general assembly, and argued that their attempts to refer the matter to the wider membership had been rejected.
They said the dispute deepened when an earlier draft statement proposing a total exit from all political coalitions was narrowed in the final text to cover only coalitions directly involved in the war.
The resigning journalists said that alteration left open the possibility of participating in other political blocs, compromising the union’s institutional independence.