Sudanese court sentences three opposition journalists to jail time

July 15, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Three Sudanese journalists working at a paper belonging to the Popular Congress Party (PCP) were sentenced to jail by a court on charges of attempting to destabilise the constitutional system.

The deputy editor in chief of Rai Al-Sha’ab Abuzar Al-Amin was sentenced to five years while two other journalists Al-Tahir Abu Jawhara and Ashraf Abdul-Aziz received two years each. Ramadan Mahjoub, a fourth journalist was acquitted.

The judge also ordered the closure of the newspaper.

Last May, Sudanese authorities raised Rai Al-Sha’ab headquarters, arrested four journalists and charged Al-Amin, with terrorism, espionage and destabilising the constitutional system. The first two charges carried with them the death penalty if convicted by court.

Their arrest occurred after the detention of the PCP Islamist opposition leader Hassan Al-Turabi accusing him of stirring up hatred and disseminating malicious lies.

The crackdown on the opposition party took place after the publication of an analysis by Al-Amin alleging that Iran had constructed a weapon factory in Sudan aiming to supply Islamists insurgents in Somalia and Yemeni Shiite rebels as well as Islamist Palestinian movement Hamas.

He also wrote articles suggesting that President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who was re-elected in April polls, did not enjoy widespread support in Sudan.

Following the crackdown, a pro-Saudi columnist wrote in the London based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper that it is well known that Sudan is hosting members of the Iran Revolutionary Guard along with secret weapon manufacturing factories to infiltrate Arab Gulf states and Egypt.

While in jail, it was alleged that the journalists were being tortured and a photo was circulated showing al-Amin’s back, with a large bruise.

A lawyer for the journalists vowed to challenge the ruling.

“It is not reasonable to put journalists in prison for what they write with their pens. We will appeal,” defence counsel Abdel-Moniem Osman, told Reuters.

They were convicted under articles 50 and 66. The first deals with attacks against the state in order to undermine the constitutional system, and the second with publication of erroneous information.

Article 50 of the penal code provides for a life sentence, but the lawyers had asked for leniency, said Idriss, who added the sentences would be appealed.
An official at the PCP suggested that president Bashir was behind the “harsh” ruling.

“The sentence is a blatant abuse of power to silence opposition and free speech. It is very harsh,” PCP foreign secretary Bashir Adam Rahma told Reuters after the trial.

“Abuzar Ali al-Amin just wrote an analysis of the election results. That was what angered the president” Rahma said.

Six newspapers responded to today’s judgement by announcing that they will withhold publication in protest including Al-Ahdath, Al-Sahafa, Al-Ayaam, Al-Midan, Al-Akhbar and Ajras Al-Hurriya.

Sudanese authorities stepped up their crackdown on newspapers since the elections and re-invoked pre-publication censorship to prevent articles addressing topics such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigations in Darfur which led to the indictment of Bashir.

Earlier this month, the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) ordered the permanent closure of Al-Intibaha newspaper saying it is promoting secessionist sentiments ion the North and South.

The newspaper has beeing vocal on calling for separation of the South from the rest of the country.

Southerners are six months away from a referendum on whether they should split away as an independent nation.

Bashir lifted newspaper censorship last year but warned that editor in chiefs should “avoid what leads to exceeding the red lines and avoid mixing what is patriotic and what is destructive to the nation, sovereignty, security, values and its morality”.

He also said that newspaper publications must not “smear the reputation of Sudan internally or externally and not propagate crime” adding that the Sudanese society is in good shape compared to other countries.

Any newspaper breaching these conditions will be subject to “harsh sanction”, he said at the time.

(ST)