The Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) confiscated all copies of El Jareeda and El Tayyar newspapers on Monday morning. This procedure comes after days from the discussions between the newspaper’s Editor in Chiefs and NISS. Security did not provide any explanation about the confiscated newspapers. This is not the first time that the Security has been confiscated newspapers, but almost ten times in the month of August, these causing heavy losses to the newspaper.

The National Assembly is the body that passed the National Security Act (NSA) that expanded the powers of the NISS to arrest and detain people and confiscate news outlets without judicial oversight. In June, journalists protested the draft Press and Publications Act which the Cabinet approved, which provides for prohibiting journalists from writing and the expansion of powers of the Press and Publications Council. In the preceding week the distribution of El Jareeda newspaper was purposely delayed by the NISS for six days in a row because of its critical content.

Although the freedom of expression and opinion provided for in the Interim Constitution of 2005 and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the National Intelligence and Security Service still confiscates newspapers from the printing press after printing them and prevents journalists from writing in their newspapers, which constitutes a clear violation of the right of expression and freedom of opinion, which stipulated in the Interim Constitution in Article 39 paragraphs 1,2,3 which entitles any citizen the right to freedom of expression, reception of information and publications.

Seizing newspapers is vaulting the right to freedom of expression which had written in article (19) in the international human right declaration (everyone has the right to freedom f opinion and expression, this rights includes to hold opinions without interference and seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers), also seizing papers is violates Sudan constitution which had written in article 39 (39,2: the state shall guarantee the freedom of press and other medias shall be regulated by law in a democratic society).

Source; Dabanga