Sudanese justice minister puts brakes on newspaper bans

KHARTOUM, March 16 (AFP) — Sudanese Justice Minister Ali Mohammed Osman Yassin has ordered prosecutors to put the brakes on the suspension of newspapers, the official news agency SUNA reported.

Prosecutors can only impose bans for the purposes of an investigation and provided the suspension does not exceed 24 hours, within which time the case must be brought to court, he said.

He said the decision was taken to protect press freedom. Newspapers were being suspended on the basis of different interpretations of an article in Sudan’s criminal procedures law, the justice minister said.

Yassin said his order banning the indefinite closure of newspapers without trial would remain in effect until the “concerned authorities” issued a specific explanation of Article 130 of the law.

Sudanese authorities have slapped bans on several newspapers over recent months.

The English-language Khartoum Monitor has been suspended since December, while Al-Ayam, another independent daily, was banned at the same time and only returned to the newsstands on March 1.

The US government denounced the closure of the two newspapers, saying it cast doubt on Khartoum’s commitment to press freedom and hindered progress in improving ties between the two countries.