Freedom of Expression

Historically, the Sudanese government’s main method of silencing media was to use the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) to ensure pre-print censorship of articles deemed sensitive.  This tactic was used in the early nineties and reappeared in 2008, in the final years of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement-mandated Interim period. Under pre-print censorship the NISS officers appeared nightly at newspaper offices, requesting that editors-in-chief or their deputies reveal to them all of the articles to be printed in their papers prior to publication. The NISS officers read the articles, and in the case of articles, or portions thereof, that they deemed inappropriate, ordered the editors to remove or replace them.  In some cases, NISS officers denied suggested replacement articles. In others, the volume of removed material made publication impossible. If NISS officers did not review the entirety of the newspaper, the NISS would not allow the paper to be sent to the printing press, where other officers would await permission to allow the newspaper to print. It was not possible for newspapers to be published in Sudan without NISS permission.

Recent actions by agents of the government against the media industry indicate the adoption of a new strategy that focuses on the use of censorship after printing by preventing vendors from distributing copies of their printed papers or confiscating copies from the printing warehouses. This new strategy inflicts enormous financial costs on newspapers and media organizations.  These actions are clearly designed to pressure editors and publishers to delete any material that might upset the ruling National Congress Party in order to ensure the financial survival of the paper.

A second prong of the new government strategy is to intimidate and silence journalists, columnists and editors through incessant harassment that includes repeated arrests and fines. Most media professionals arrested by National Security officials have been victims of torture, confiscation of equipment and even a ban on any future publishing.

This post is also available in: Arabic