Al-Jazeera’s journalist in Sudan arrested without warrant: lawyer

KHARTOUM, March 4 (AFP) — The defence lawyer of television channel Al-Jazeera’s bureau chief in Khartoum said Thursday that Sudanese authorities arrested and searched the office of his client without legal warrants.

Lawyer Ghazi Suleiman said security and customs officers had acknowledged that they had no warrant when they searched Al-Jazeera’s offices and arrested his client, Islam Salih, in December.

Salih was released on bail a few days later, but was charged with defamation of state, false reporting and customs violations. His trial opened Sunday before the North Khartoum criminal court.

Speaking after the second hearing, Suleiman said customs officers who appeared before the court also admitted during cross examination that the satellite transmitter they confiscated during the raid was brought into Sudan legally.

The trial was adjourned until Monday, he added.

Launched in 1996, the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera channel has irritated several Arab governments, including Saudi Arabia, leading to the closure of several of its bureaus in Arab countries in recent years.