African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies ACJPS | المركز الافريقي لدراسات العدالة و السلام
(4 April 2019) On 17 March 2019, the National Intelligence Security Services (NISS) lifted a pre- publication censorship imposed on Algareeda, Albaath, Al Maidan and Akhbar Al-Watan newspapers between 20 December 2018 and 11 March 2019. The censorship was lifted after NISS introduced new measures to restrict the media including, a pledge by the chief editors to remain fully responsible for actions of the newspaper under the jurisdiction of the emergency decree announced by President Omar al- Bashir on 25 February 2019. The decree imposes restrictions on the media by prohibiting publication of news that “harms the state or citizens, or calls for undermining the constitutional system”.
ACJPS is informed by a reliable source that the new measures by NISS is intended to intimidate Chief editors from publishing on the ongoing anti-government protests which begun on 19 December 2019. It is also thought to have the intended impact of causing Chief editors to self-censor to avoid financial losses and/or judicial harassment. According to a reliable source, the four newspapers incurred losses amounting to more than 54,000 Sudanese pounds while under censorship.
The unjustified censorship of publication of public press materials is a direct violation of the rights put forth within the Sudanese Interim National Constitution which states under article 39 (1), “Every citizen shall have an unrestricted right to the freedom of expression, reception and dissemination of information, publication, and access to the press without prejudice to order, safety or public morals as determined by law.” The inclusion of vague subscriptions to “public morals” are very difficult to decipher contextually and subsequently leave room for Sudanese authorities to exclusively dictate their meaning in accordance with political incentives that are not necessarily in the interest of the citizens.
On 20 December 2018, NISS without giving reasons imposed a pre-publication censorship on Akhbar Al-Watan newspaper for 11 weeks until 11 March 2019. Al Maidan newspaper was denied publication from 11 January to 11 March 2019 whilst Albaath newspaper, which is affiliated with the Arabic Baath party was denied publication from last week of December 2018. Algareeda, an independent newspaper, was denied publication for 76 days from 20 December 2018 and several copies of their print runs were confiscated. Reliable information indicates that the censorship against the four newspapers relate to their reportage of the ongoing peaceful anti-government protests.
ACJPS welcomes the release of Osman Mirghani, Chief Editor of the independent Altyaar newspaper after spending more than a month in incommunicado detention. He was arrested by NISS on 22 February 2019 from the newspaper’s building following his criticism of President Bashir’s state of emergency declaration in a televised interview on Aljazeera channel. Mr Mirghani was released on Friday 29 March 2019 by NISS and a reliable source informs ACJPS that he is in good condition. Similarly, Mr. Ahmed Aldai Bushara, a sports commentator on Stadium (Almalaieb) channel was released on 27 March 2019 after his arrest on 7 January 2019. Mr Ahmed was arrested after he discussed on his channel, the lack of bread and queues of people in front of bakeries in Khartoum since November 2018. He was also arrested in July 2018 after he published and shared videos on similar issues.
ACJPS is however deeply concerned about the frantic campaign launched by Sudanese authorities against journalist by banning the coverage of the ongoing anti-government protests. On 14 February 2019, Sudanese Police forces banned all journalist from covering the ongoing anti-government protests and as a result, a journalist was banned from writing whilst seven others were arrested on suspicion of covering the protests.
ACJPS reiterates previous calls on Government of Sudan to immediately end its policies of pre- and post- print censorship of newspapers, which severely circumscribes the availability of information in the public sphere and hinders freedom of expression and access to information.
We further urge Sudanese authorities to end the harassment of media outlets and professionals and fully guarantee press and media freedom as provided in Sudan’s Interim National Constitution of 2005, as well as regional international human rights treaties to which Sudan is a state party.
Background
The NISS have continuously employed a number of tactics intended to censor information deemed to be critical of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) published in print and online media. Tactics utilized by the NISS include summoning journalists, preventing the publication or distribution of printed copies of newspapers without rationale; imposing “red lines” on media through telephone communication to editors-in-chief; and blacklisting journalists from publishing their work in newspapers.
Censorship is often ramped up around key events with pre-publication and post-print censorship, whereby entire print-runs of daily editions are confiscated prior to morning distribution, at great cost to newspapers, which along with other forms of harassment and intimidation enforces self-censorship as editors are unable to afford to publish opinions that might result in the print run being confiscated.
Since 19 December 2018, NISS tightened restrictions to prevent coverage of the nation-wide anti-government protests which begun in Atbara and spread to other states and cities in Sudan. Several newspapers were confiscated and denied distribution and, at least 90 journalists have been detained, including incommunicado, according to the Sudanese Journalists’ Network, an anti-government group of journalists. Some have since been released. The same tactic was used in January 2018 to prevent the coverage of a nationwide anti-austerity protests.
NISS detains seven journalists on suspicion of covering protests
On 14 February 2014, three journalists, Muzdalfa Yousef (f), a journalist working for Algereeda newspaper, Nour Eldien jadat(m), a journalist working for Alteyar newspaper and Zulfa Yousef (f) were arrested by the Anti-riot police at about 12:30PM in Abu-Jenzeer square, one of the gathering points for protesters located in center of Khartoum. They were detained at Northern Police station in Khartoum until 1:00PM when they were released on bail. The following day, police filed against them, charges under Article 69 (disturbance of public peace) of the Sudanese Criminal Code. The case is still pending.
Mr Mohamed Ibrahim (m), a journalist working for Al-Tyaar newspaper was also arrested on the same day by the Anti-riot police in Al-Huriaa street in Khartoum. The Anti-riot police had been deployed earlier to quell a protest announced by the Sudanese Professional Association within the area.
On March 18 2019, the NISS of Khartoum arrested Ms Awatif Idis and Ms Fadwa Khazraji, both female Journalists working for Algreeda newspaper. During their arrest, about seven NISS officers forced the two journalists out of a public transportation while on their way to cover protests in industrial area in Khartoum. They were taken to media section of the NISS office located in Khartoum 3 and were interrogated for three hours. A reliable source informs ACJPS that the NISS officers threatened the two journalists with imprisonment before forcefully confiscating and inspected their phones and hand bags. They were also allegedly subjected to invasive body searches by male NISS officers before being released without any charges on the same day.
On March 15 2019 at about 01:00PM, Mr Amar Hassan, a journalist working for Al-tyaar newspaper was arrested by the NISS of Omdurman in Al-Abassia neighborhood in Omdurman. He was taken to NISS office located in Banat neighborhood where he was interrogated about his journalistic work. He was released at about 09:00 Pm on the same day and was asked to report the following morning. He reported the following day and was released without any charges at about 02:00PM.
NISS bans journalist from writing
On 14 February 2019, Mr Ahmed Altaai, a journalist working for Al-Entibaha newspaper received a phone call from the NISS of Khartoum informing him that he was banned from writing. No reason was provided but it is likely that it relates to his coverage of the ongoing anti-government protests.
Journalists submit a complaint to the Sudanese human rights commission.
Following the censorship against Algareeda newspaper by NISS, journalists working for the newspaper submitted complaint before the national human rights commission on 10 March 2019. The commission received the complaint and promised to approach NISS through their information desk to address the issue. Also in the complaint, the journalists urged the commission to ensure that right to freedoms of expression in Sudan is protected.
Court dismisses criminal charges against two journalists
On 27 February 2019, the North Khartoum Criminal court also dismissed criminal charges against Mr Khalid Fathi, a journalist working for Al-Tyaar newspaper and Ms Dura Gambo, a journalist working for BBC Extra.
Contact:
Mossaad Mohamed Ali, Executive Director, African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies ACJPS. (English, Arabic, Swedish): +46764325862, +25677958454
