Authorities within the Sudanese Parliament have reportedly issued an order to prevent newspapers and Satellite TV channels from covering Parliament activities. This decision has come after journalists interrupted the sessions for two consecutive days objecting to the denial of their female colleague from entering the National Assembly.

A member of the National Intelligence and Security Services informed the journalists at the entrance of the Parliament gate that this formal decision dated 26th July 2018 The NISS employee .has been made to prevent them from entering the building refused to let them know the official entity that has issued this decision and relayed “I have been given orders not to let journalists in” that

The Parliament had previously denied entry to a journalist from al Intibaha newspaper and requested from the newspaper to replace the journalist in question In objection to this incident, the journalists responsible for coverage of the Parliament refused to cover Parliament activities for two days in a row.

Within this context, the media relations office in Parliament has reassured its full commitment to the constitution in relation to media coverage and the right of citizens to have access to the daily work of the National Assembly.

According to a statement by the Parliament administration found on Page News, the National Assembly is on leave that will continue until the 2nd October when the new Parliament round is scheduled to reopen and that the media relations office has issued new regulations when dealing with media representatives. The statement pointed out that the work of the National Assembly is confidential and inaccessible to media and the public only when’d decided otherwise by the Assembly.

Sudan is one of the countries that has signed the International Covenant on Civil and political rights which states in article 19 that ”Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.“

In addition to the Sudan 2005 constitution which states in its article 39-1 that ”Every citizen shall have an unrestricted right to the freedom of expression, reception of information, publication, and access to the press without prejudice to order, safety or public morals as determined by law.“

Source: Bajnews