Sudan’s information ministry comes under fire from journalists

January 18, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese journalists slammed the information ministry accusing it of negativity and underperforming in the way it deals with media houses and newspapers.

In a meeting with the new information minister Abdullah Masar the journalists criticized jailing of their peers through laws that they said are unprecedented in the region.

They called for amending the laws that gives the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) authority to drag newspapers and journalists to court as well as allowing it to confiscate its assets.

Earlier this year, the Sudanese authorities ordered the closure of Rai al-Sha’ab newspaper which is owned by the opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP).

Last week the same move was taken against the independent Alwan newspaper for publishing an interview with an Islamist figure who called leader of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) Khalil Ibrahim killed last month a martyr.

Masar promised that these closures are temporary and said that all issues faced by newspapers will be resolved should they adhere to the journalistic code and other rules.

“If newspapers are committed and cooperative by not breaching the law with respect to national security and private rights we will guarantee to you that we will not close newspapers” he said.

The editor in chief of al-Khartoum newspaper Fadl Allah Mohamed said that journalists are tried by several laws and not one. He added that most countries in the region stopped jailing journalists with the exception of Sudan.

Masar also pledged to work with the finance ministry in order to ease customs and duties on imported paper and other materials used by newspapers which saw a price hike as a result of decline in the exchange rate of the Sudanese pound.

(ST)