Sudan targets newspapers, journalists with confiscations and draconian legislation

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published December 07, 2017

NEW YORK - Sudanese authorities should stop confiscating newspapers and drop draft laws that would further curtail press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Over the past nine days, agents from Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) have confiscated all copies of four opposition newspapers Al-Tayar, Al-Watan, Al-Jarida, and Akhir Lahza from the printers, according to news reports and a statement from the independent, Khartoum-based Sudanese Journalists Network. 

Separately, the Sudanese cabinet in mid-November approved a draft of an amended version of the Press and Publications Law, which would potentially give the authorities power to further censor newspapers, if approved by the parliament, according to news reports.

“Sudanese authorities have a history of silencing critical journalists by confiscating newspapers. Now they are trying to extend their powers of censorship through seizure,” CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour said from Washington D.C. “We call on Sudanese authorities to allow all newspapers to report freely, and drop draft laws that would further curtail press freedom.”

Bahaa ElDin Eissa, the managing editor of Al-Tayar, told CPJ that the newspaper confiscations might be linked to Al-Tayar’s critical coverage of the President Omar al-Bashir's visit to Russia in late November, where he discussed potential military cooperation with the Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The three other papers, Al-Watan, Al-Jarida, and Akhir Lahza, printed similar stories about al-Bashir’s Russia visit.

Eissa estimates Al-Tayar’s financial losses at 25,000 Sudanese Pounds (US$1,000) for each day the paper is confiscated.

Eissa said the NISS did not explain the confiscation. Editors of the four newspapers sent a joint letter on December 2 to the Prime Minister Bakri Hassan Saleh inquiring about the reason behind the confiscations but got no response, Anadolu news agency reported and Eissa confirmed.

Local journalists began an open-ended strike on December 5 in protest at the confiscations, according to news reports.

NISS did not immediately respond to CPJ’s emailed request for comment.

The new version of the Press and Publications Law would allow the state’s National Press Council to order the confiscation of critical newspapers for up to 15 days instead of three days under the current law, according to news reports.

The law would also allow the council to suspend a journalist’s credentials, including credentials for those who work for online outlets, for “the period that it sees fit,” according to news reports. Press Council members are elected by the parliament or the state’s press union, or appointed by the country’s president. The draft does not specify violations that could lead to the suspension of a journalist's or a newspaper's credentials, according to the reports. Without credentials, news outlets and journalists are not allowed to report.

The Cabinet’s Secretariat did not immediately respond to CPJ’s email requesting comment. – CPJ News Alert/Photo: Operation World

CPJ calls on Pakistani authorities to end harassment, deportation of Afghan journalists

 January 23, 2025:  CPJ exposes Pakistan's dangerous deportation of Afghan journalists fleeing Taliban persecution, highlighting critical human rights violations and press freedom challenges. #JournalistSafety

Cyber martial law: Authoritarian PECA legislation threatens digital expression in Pakistan

 January 23, 2025:  Pakistan's PECA Amendment exposes a dangerous assault on press freedom, creating a repressive social media regulatory framework that threatens digital expression and criminalizes journalism. #MediaFreedom #PakistanLaw #DigitalRights #Censorship #JournalismUnderThreat

When talk shows turn battlegrounds: The ugly face of Pakistani TV

 January 23, 2025:  An in-depth look at the recent scuffle on a Pakistani talk show, its implications for media ethics, and the urgent need for TV channels to uphold decorum during debates.

Over 300 PTV pensioners rally for dues, PFUJ slams management inaction

 January 22, 2025:  PFUJ condemns the neglect of PTV pensioners who protested in Islamabad for unpaid dues and benefits. Union urges authorities to resolve issues without delay.

PFUJ condemns PECA amendments as a betrayal by information minister

 January 22, 2025:  The PFUJ has condemned the new amendments to PECA 2016, describing them as unconstitutional and threatening press freedom. It warns of nationwide protests if the government doesn’t withdraw the bill.

Crackdown on AI-generated content: FIA targets 10 more suspects

 January 22, 2025:  The FIA has registered 18 cases, including against 10 more suspects, for sharing AI-generated images of Maryam Nawaz and the UAE President. The crackdown also targets those who liked or commented on the images.

Pakistan's digital hypocrisy: PM Shehbaz Sharif tweets Trump while citizens face X ban

 January 21, 2025:  Pakistan's PM Shehbaz Sharif congratulates Trump on X despite the year-long platform ban, sparking outrage over government double standards and digital censorship concerns.

Leaked justice: Journalists tweet Imran Khan's 14-year sentence before judge's verdict

 January 17, 2025:  In an unprecedented breach of judicial protocol, Pakistani journalists accurately revealed Imran Khan's 14-year sentence in the Al-Qadir case on social media 24 hours before the official verdict, raising serious questions about court independence