Sudanese journalist accompanying UNSC delegation thrown off plane

October 7, 2010 (JUBA) – The security staff accompanying a UN Security Council (UNSC) delegation visiting Sudan ordered a journalist off the plane prompting some of his colleagues to also leave in solidarity, sources tell Sudan Tribune.

Sudan official news agency (SUNA) said that the Reuters photographer Mohamed Nur Al-Deen had his camera confiscated in Juba’s airport by UN security staff. Later he was told to get off the plane for unknown reasons.

SUNA said that the BBC reporter Al-Tayeb Sideeg, Xinhua reporter Fayez Al-Zaki and his photographer Mohamed Yousif refused to continue the flight after the incident. All of the four journalists are Sudanese.

According to the state news agency, the information minister Kamal Obeid called his Southern counterpart Barnaba Benjamin to follow up on their status. The journalists are heading to Khartoum on Friday, it added.

(ST)