Sudanese security confiscates Al-Jareeda newspaper

July 4, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) on Monday has confiscated copies of Al-Jareeda daily newspaper from the printing house without stating any reasons.

NISS has recently intensified crackdown on the newspapers. Last May, it confiscated copies of Al-Taghyeer, Al-Saiha, Al-Jareeda and Akhir Lahza newspapers for two days in a row.

Journalists working for Al-Jareeda told Sudan Tribune that the NISS agents seized 12,000 copies of the newspaper, expecting the financial loss to reach 50,000 pounds (SDG) (about $3,700 dollar).

Al-Jareeda has been the most censored and confiscated newspaper by the security services. Last May, the NISS had confiscated copies of the newspaper four times during five days.

The NISS routinely confiscates newspapers either to prevent circulation of certain stories or to punish them retroactively on previous issues.

It accuses the newspapers of crossing the red lines through publishing reports which adversely impact the national security.

Sudanese journalists say that NISS uses seizures of print copies of newspapers, not only to censor the media but also to weaken them economically.

Sudan’s constitution guarantees freedom of expression but laws subordinate to the constitution such as the National Security Forces Act of 2010 contains articles that can be potentially used to curtail press freedom and instigate legal proceedings against newspapers and individual journalists.

(ST)