Freelance journalist arrested by Sudanese authorities

July 24, 2024 (EL-OBEID) – Freelance journalist Omer Mohamed Omer was arrested on July 17 by the General Intelligence Service of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), highlighting the increasing dangers faced by journalists in the war-torn country.

Omer, also known as Wad Abukar, was apprehended from his home in El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, according to reports from the local press freedom group, the Sudanese Journalists Network, and a local journalist who requested anonymity due to fear of reprisal.

The arrest followed Omer’s public criticism of the North Kordofan governor on his personal Facebook page, where he highlighted the deteriorating state services and a worsening water crisis amid the civil war between the SAF and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces that began in April 2023.

Since the outbreak of the civil war, journalists in Sudan have faced increased risks, including killings, arrests, harassment, and sexual assaults.

The Sudanese Journalists Network denounced the arrest, labelling it a violation of human rights and international humanitarian law. “This arrest is a blatant attempt to stifle freedom of expression and prevent the public from being informed about the realities of the war,” said a spokesperson for the Network.

Also, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged Sudanese authorities to release him immediately and unconditionally. “We are alarmed by reports that the military intelligence arrested journalist Omer Mohamed Omer last week,” said Yeganeh Rezaian, CPJ’s Interim MENA Program Coordinator, in Washington, D.C.

(ST)