January 7, 2019 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese Minister of Information accused some satellite TV channels of fabricating unrealistic scenes about the recent protests in the country and promised to take decisive action against these media.

During the last three weeks, Sudanese took to the street to protest the difficult living conditions and called on President Omer al-Bashir to leave. Also, the government said 19 people were killed while activists say the death toll has reached 40 victims.

Minister Bushara Juma Arror who was speaking in a news briefing on Monday further denied the government’s practice of restricting the media from covering the recent protests.

"The malicious satellite channels seeking to provoke sedition are under surveillance," said Bushara in statements aired by several media including Al-Jazeera TV Channel.

"We monitor these channels and follow it and we will reserve them a different treatment," he said before to add "Anyone who transgresses the rules of law and controls must absolutely be dealt with decisively because this jeopardizes the security of the country."

Security authorities last Wednesday expelled a correspondent of the London-based Alaraby TV and also ordered Sudanese satellite services companies to not air any reporting from the local team of the channel in relation with the demonstrations and protests.

The minister who was a former rebel also dismissed accusations that the security service prevents and harasses journalists covering the protests.

"This claim is an attempt to stigmatize the security services with things that did not occur or were not true, perhaps some frictions happen in the framework of their duties but this does not mean they prevent the broadcast of what is going on," he asserted.

On Saturday Sudanese activists protested outside the office of Al-Jazeera TV in London accusing the Qatari TV Channel of disregarding the coverage of protests in Sudan.

For his part, the Minister of Interior Ahmed Bilal Osman told the lawmakers that the security situation is under control in the whole country. Also, he said there are 28 cases of robbery and 65 cases of looting and possession of weapons.

However, several MPs insisted on the use of live ammunition pointing it was excessive and unjustified as the protests were peaceful and there were no attacks against the riot police or security forces.

In a related development, activists posted videos of limited protests in Port Sudan and Atbara on Monday. While the government and the opposition prepare two marches in Khartoum on Wednesday.

(ST)