Court fines journalist for criticising Sudanese police

August 21, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – A Sudanese court Monday condemned a journalist and his newspaper for criticizing the national police and ordered them to pay a fine.

The Press Court in Khartoum fined five thousand pounds on the independent Al-Tayyar newspaper for publishing an opinion article written by Suheir Abdel Rahim, a journalist, and columnist at the newspaper.

Abdel Rahim wrote a column commenting on a news story published by the local press about the efforts of the police to capture thieves who used to steal shoes at the mosques of the capital.

In Islam, shoes have to be taken off and be left outside the prayer hall.

She further called on the pursue the thieves of public money and those involved in corruption cases.

The police director in Khartoum state lodged a complaint against the journalist and the newspaper saying the article mocked the police force and reduced its prestige.

Last July a Sudanese court fined Amal Habani, a journalist winner of an Amnesty International prize, 10,000 Sudanese pounds after being accused by a security agent of preventing him from doing his job.

The Sudanese journalists say the Sudanese authorities seek to use all the possible means to reduce their work and restrict the press freedom.

On 19 August, the security services confiscated Al-Saiha but no reason was given to explain the measure.

(ST)