Sudan suspends Arab Satellite Channels for lack of transparency and expired licenses

April 2, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – Sudanese authorities suspended three Arab satellite channels: Sky News Arabia, Al Arabiya, and Al Hadath. The Ministry of Culture and Information cited a lack of transparency, unprofessional reporting practices, and license renewal issues for the suspensions.

Minister Graham Abdel Gader’s statement stated that the UAE-funded Sky News Arabia’s suspension stemmed from “harmful publishing,” while the two other Saudi channels, Al Arabiya and Al Hadath, did not renew their licenses.

In a separate statement about the UAE channel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized Sky News Arabia for broadcasting an unrelated Euronews video about the Somali militant group Al-Shabaab, presenting it as footage from Sudan. The ministry also said the report relied on a newspaper affiliated with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Sky News Arabia defended the report’s accuracy but acknowledged the use of archived footage.

This broadcasting of Sky News report coincided with Sudan’s March 26 complaint to the UN Security Council regarding the UAE’s alleged support for the RSF.

The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate (SJS) condemned the decision, calling it a “clear violation of freedom of expression and the press.” The SJS expressed concern that shutting down channels would silence professional media and exacerbate the spread of misinformation and hate speech.

The ongoing war since April 2023 has severely hampered press operations within the country. Journalists face difficult working conditions, including detentions by both sides of the conflict. These restrictions have fuelled a surge of rumours and false reports on social media, turning it into a battleground for war propaganda.

(ST)