African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies ACJPS | المركز الافريقي لدراسات العدالة و السلام
(20 July 2023) African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) condemns the actions of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against journalists in Sudan. We call upon the conflicting parties to end all censorship and harassment of journalist, media personalities and outlets, and fully guarantee press and media freedom as provided in the Constitutional Charter of 2019 as well as international and regional human rights treaties to which Sudan is a state party.
Since the outbreak of armed conflict between the SAF and the RSF on 15 April 2023, at least two journalists have lost their lives and approximately 250 others and media staff have lost their jobs. In terms of security, at least 75 homes belonging to Journalist have been raided and looted, six journalists have been harassed, tortured and injured. Additionally, 12 print media companies including five specializing in sports were banned from publishing. The building hosting the National Sudanese Television and Radio in Omdurman was bombarded during a gunfight between SAF and RSF in a bid to take over the stations. The Aljareeda independent media house has been shelled twice since the outbreak of the armed conflict. Other newspaper companies such as Alhrak and Almidan affiliated to the Sudanese Communist Party were raided and their offices destroyed. Offices of Alrabia Alhadath, Aljazeera and Alsharq channels located in Arkawet neighborhood in Khartoum were destroyed by bullets as the areas were fighting zones.
Gunfights between SAF and RSF resumed on 26 June 2023 after the parties violated the ceasefire pact signed on 28 May 2023 with the efforts of the local authorities. This has led several residents to flee from Khartoum to fairly safe states in Central and East Sudan and the neighboring South Sudan and other countries in the horn of Africa.
Incidents of attacks against journalists
On 30 June 2023, Ms. Samahir Abdul Shafi, a journalist working with Zalingi Radio in Central Darfur State was killed by a bomb in a shelter where she was being hosted by relatives in Alhasahisa IDP camp in Zalingi. Ms. Abdul Shafie had fled from her family home in Aluhda neighborhood in Zalingi due to the intensity of the conflict between SAF and RSF in the area. Since 17 May 2023, Zalingi has been cut off from the rest of the world as all communication networks were suspended.
On 23 May 2023, Mr. Gasim Abdul Kareem, a journalist succumbed to Kidney failure after he was unable to access the dialysis centre. Several patients with kidney related illnesses have been unable to access the dialysis centre since the outbreak of the armed conflict because of the restriction in movements and escalating gunfight between SAF and RSF in Khartoum.
Ms. Enaam Elnoor, a female journalist working with Eleginia Radio in West Darfur is currently in exile after she managed to flee and across the border to an undisclosed neighboring country. On 23 May 2023, at around 09:00am, a group of armed men wearing masks raided Ms. Elnoor’s family home in Elgenina, West Darfur. The group asked the journalist to come with them and when she declined, she was hit on the head and abducted while she was unconscious. At about 08:00pm when she regained consciousness, she found herself in a room and shortly after eight men entered the room carrying a laptop and camera that she used for documenting and reporting human rights violations specifically the 12 sexual violence cases. On 27 May 2023, Ms. Elnoor unknowingly found herself in a house in her neighbourhood and she was moved to her family house.
On 20 May 2023, Mr. Faiz Abu Bakar, a journalist and photographer was stopped by a group of RSF officers at a checkpoint at East Nile bridge while on his way from Aljili neighborhood in Khartoum going to collect some personal items from his family home as the area had previously been bombed by SAF air force. Mr. Abu Bakar quickly removed his camera and started documenting the situation. The group accused him of working for SAF Military Intelligence, he was verbally abused and got shot in the feet.
On 20 June 2023, a group of RSF soldiers raided Mr. Ahmed Alfadul family home Shambat neighborhood of Khartoum Bahari. Mr. Ahmed is a Journalist working for Aljazeera Channel, Khartoum office. On that fateful day, Mr. Ahmed was with his colleague Mr. Rashid Jebreel a photographer also working with Aljazeera. The two were beaten in front of Mr. Alfadul’s family members and all their cell phones were taken.
On 18 May 2023, Mr. Issa Dafallah was arrested, beaten and his phone stolen by a group of men dressed in RSF uniform at a local market known as Almalaja in Nyala of South Darfur. Mr. Dafallah is a journalist who was involved in covering the looting and burning of the Almalag local market by armed Arab groups and men in RSF uniform. Mr. Dafallah was detained in small office where he was interrogated about the Military Intelligence.
On 19 May 2023, Mr. Khalid Sharaf Eldien, a journalist and correspondent to Sudanese radio in South Darfur was shot on his right foot by a stray bullet as he was seeking shelter in a cinema hall during a gunfight in Nyala town. He was rescued by good Samaritans.
On 24 June 2023, Mr. Zamzam Khatir, a journalist was arrested by Military Intelligence officers from the main street in Elfashir, North Darfur as she was heading to attend a meeting organised by the local ceasefire committee. Ms. Khater had earlier documented and published a report about a gunfight she had witnessed during her trip to Koutum town between SAF and RSF. She was also documenting violations perpetuated by armed Arabs and RSF men.
On 19 June 2023, Mr. Ahmed Alfaful and Mr. Rashid Jebreel employees of Aljazeera Channel in Khartoum were arrested by a group of RSF men in Kfoury, Khartoum Bahari during a media coverage. The two were briefly detained and released after interrogation.
Raiding of journalists’ homes
Mr. Abdul Monim Abu Idris, a member of the Sudanese Journalists Association informed ACJPS that approximately 75 houses belonging to Journalist have been raided and looted.
On 27 May 2023, a group of RSF driving two land cruiser vehicles raided Ms. Sumaya Sayed house in Khartoum. They threatened her family members before stealing some items such as money, gold and a vehicle.
That same day, a group of SAF soldiers raided the family home of Mr. Fatima Ali located in Jabrah neighborhood in Khartoum. The group looted the house taking all items that could easily be carried. The group went ahead and looted all the houses on the same building.
On 19 June 2023, an armed group dressed in RSF uniforms raided Professor Ali Mohamed Shomo’s home in Alsafia neighborhood of Khartoum Bahari. Prof. Ali is a 90-year-old Sudanese Intellectual and a former minister and director of media and publications council. He is also one of pioneer Journalist and media expert. The attackers tortured the house guard and accessed his house and destroyed his personal belongings like the library and stole one of his vehicles.
Status of Traditional Media (Radios and Television)
Since 15 April 2023, several Radio and Television Station are not operational. For example, Omdurman Radio closed for the first time since its establishment in the 40s which affected other State radios that depended on it for news. The Television however resumed its broadcast from another location.
Radio and T.V stations in South Darfur that had suspended operations in December 2022 because of salary arears totally shutdown because of the conflict.
On 29 May 2023, a group of men dressed in RSF uniform raided the building hosting Almidan newspaper paper in Khartoum II neighborhood in Central Khartoum damaging the building and equipment.
On 11 May 2023, a group of RSF men raided Alherak newspaper building located in Central Khartoum and destroyed working equipment.
In June 2023, a video clip circulated showing two men dressed in RSF uniform inside HALA radio station located on Nile Avenue in Khartoum after it had been raided.
Internet Services
In the communication failure in Sudan, there are four telecommuting complaints. There are four major telecommunication companies in Sudan namely; Zain, MTN, Sudani and Canar. Sudani and Canar are the two main internet service providers who own the fiber lines that both Zain and MTN use to provide internet services to their customers. The fiber starts from Port Sudan to Khartoum where it is converted to network and distributed across Sudan. This means that the party in control of Khartoum has control of the internet service.
The four telecommunication companies depend on the general government power supply to operate which is currently unstable. The internet services were also affected as the fibers were damaged due to power shortage. The Sudani station in Nyala, South Darfur automatically disconnected the services from the next stations of Central Darfur which moved out of service since May 17th 2023.
Other developments
On 10 May 2023, RSF started withdrawing from medical facilities that they had raided and occupied at the beginning of the conflict. Dr. Alla Eldien Nogod, the Doctors’ representative at the Sudanese Professional Association and also a member of the Sudanese Freedom and Change Alliance was arrested from his home in Omdurman by a group of SAF Military Intelligence soldiers. Dr Alla was arrested following a statement he made on 27 May 2023. The doctor had stated the confiscated medicine donated by Medicine Sans Frontiers should be distributed with SAF and RSF getting 25% and 50% to Omdurman hospital. He also talked about the deteriorating health sector since the outbreak of the armed conflict and how it has affected patients with chronic illnesses that are in need of periodic medical attention.
Status of political parties
On 25 May 2023, Sudanese Communist Party released a statement confirming that a group of RSF raided the party offices located in the Khartoum II neighborhood in Central Khartoum and destroyed the property.
On 13 May 2023, UMA National party released a statement informing the public that a group of 13 RSF men raided the party offices in Almurda neighborhood in Omdurman and destroyed the offices claiming that they were searching for weapons.
On 30 April 2023, a group of RSF officers raided the house of the late Alsadiq Almahadi, a former Sudanese Prime Minister and Chairperson of UMA National party located in the Almulazmin neighborhood in Omdurman. The group search the house and seized a few arms which were later returned because they were licensed.
Violation of the right to education
On 15 April 2023, the Professor. Mohamed Omer Bashir library was burned down after raiding the National University of Omdurman in Alawdah neighborhood in Omdurman.
On 16 April 2023, the main branch of Nyala University in South Darfur was raided and looted. An armed group also took advantage of the situation and burned down the university library.
Almased Private University located in Khartoum Bahari was also looted and burned by armed groups that came from the neighboring Alaizbaa.
On 03 June 2023, a video clip circulated on social media showing Mr. Omer Jebreel, an RSF member inside the Sudanese National Museum in Khartoum. In the video clip, Mr. Jebreel is seen wearing a mask from the museum display. This was to show that RSF had taken control of the museum.
In a separate incident, SAF targeted the west campus of Sudan Technical University during a gunfight with RSF.
On 24 May 2023, Mr. Gasim Badri, a Dean at Alhfad Garils university in Aledah, Omdurman issued a statement confirming that the university was raided, looting and destroyed.
Sudan University of Technology located in Khartoum was also raided and partially looted.
On 20 June 2023, SAF air force bombed Omdurman University in Omdurman where RSF had taken shelter. This resulted into the destruction of faculty of the pharmacy.
On 28 April 2023, Elgenina University was also looted.
There is no information about Khartoum University because Central Khartoum is under the control of RSF and is guarded by snipers while SAF on the other hand has been trying to access the area.
Attacks on Football Clubs
On 27 May 2023, Almerikh football club house located in Alarda, Omdurman was raided by RSF. Photos published on social media shows several RSF soldiers with some items belonging to the football club like a trophy.
RSF also raided and occupied Bait Almal football club house located in Omdurman and turned it into a military base.
