The Sudanese Journalists Network has rejected the campaign launched by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS (targeting press and journalists, describing the crackdown as vindictive.

NISS agents last Sunday detained the chief editor of Al Midan newspaper, Ms Eman Osman, and a number of other journalists such as Musaab Mohamed Ali, Tariq Ali correspondent of the newspaper in Kosti, Adam Mahdi based in Nyala picked from in front of SUNA premises and Amin Sinada from Port Sudan.

Meanwhile, the Network confirmed that journalists Ageil Ahmed Naem, Kamal Karrar, Qurashi Awad, Adil Ibrahim, and Ismail Bilal of the Northern Sudan TV and press producer Mohamed Babikir remain in detention.

In statement published on the Face book, the Network confirmed that the correspondent of Al Mijhar newspaper in Gedaref Suleiman Mukhtar was repeatedly summoned on Thursday, Friday and Saturday because of covering demonstrations in Gedaref, and he remained detained in security offices for long hours before he was released.

The statement pointed out that NISS prevented the publication of Al Jareeda newspaper for the seventeenth consecutive time, and the thirtieth time since 19 December last. NISS agents also prevented Akhbar Al Watan newspaper from coming out and also disrupted the printing of Al Tayyar newspaper last Saturday.

The Network denounced the continued subjection of some newspapers to pre-print censorship, imposed since more than six weeks.

The statement expressed displeasure over NISS move to compel newspapers and other media to not cover or report news of the popular uprising, and also deplored the resort of security agents to specific tricks to harass the press such as going through their tax payment files to plunge them into financial crunch under the economic crisis the country is already experiencing, besides the hint to initiate criminal procedures against journalists to intimidate and terrorize them.

The Network added that the security’s weapon of repression would not prevent Sudanese journalists from supporting the legitimate demands of the people for freedom, justice and democratic transformation.

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides for the freedom of opinion and expression, also Article 39-1 of the constitution of Sudan states: “every citizen shall have an unrestricted right to freedom of expression, reception and dissemination of information and publications and access to the press without prejudice to order, safety and public morals”.

Source; Sudanese Journalists Network