press release
Sudan is undergoing a disturbing wave of censorship, with the confiscation of a total of 19 newspaper issues in the past three days. The seizures not only constitute a grave violation of media pluralism but also inflict major financial losses on publications that are already fighting for economic survival.
In a spectacular series of raids in the capital on 16 February, members of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) seized a total of 13 issues as they came off the presses, including almost all of Khartoum's dailies and two magazines.
The publications affected were Al-Tayar, Al-Rai al-Aam, Al-Intibaha, Akhir Lahza, Al-Ahram al-Youm, Awal al-Nahar, Al-Watan, Al-Sudani, Alwan, Al-Saiha and Al-Mijhar al-Siyasi, and the two magazines, Al-Dar and Hikayat.
Five other newspaper issues were seized yesterday, those of Al Sudani, Al Intibaha, Al Sahafa, Al Mighur and Al Taghier.
"These massive and indiscriminate seizures constitute an unacceptable act of censorship," said Cla Kahn-Sriber, the head of the Reporters Without Borders Africa desk.
"The people we contacted in Khartoum have no idea what exactly the government did not like in these issues. But, given the general elections scheduled for April, such actions are likely to recur in the weeks and months ahead. The government seems to want to suppress any reporting that could give rise to a debate."
Economic throttling
This is by no means the first time that the NISS has carried out such raids. Reporters Without Borders calculates that it seized a total of 35 newspaper issues in 2014. Its operatives always act in the same way - waiting until issues are printed and then seizing all copies to prevent their sale. No grounds are ever given and owners have no legal recourse. "These repeated seizures represent a significant loss of income for newspaper owners," Kahn-Sriber added. "The government is clearly aware of this and uses it as part of its strategy for throttling independent print media."
The harassment does not stop there. The well-known journalist Madeeha Abdallah is facing trial on criminal charges of complicity, undermining constitutional order and publishing false information. It was the NISS that brought these charges against her.
See the original post here:
Africa: Spectacular Wave of Censorship in Khartoum
- Russian Censorship: Tor, Anonymous VPNs Could Be Target Of Next Crackdown, MP Warns - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Russian Censorship: Tor, Anonymous VPNs Could Be Target Of Next Crackdown, Kremlin Warns - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Censorship is no way to hold a debate - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Irreverent: A Celebration of Censorship - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- More online censorship coming to closed countries, says report - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- New book retraces the idea of censorship - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Strike Against SOPA & PIPA - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Censorship - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Sonam Kapoor: I Don't Believe In Censorship! Supports AIB roast! - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- FINAL FANTASY XIV: Unnecessary Censorship #4 - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- China 'great firewall' expands to step up Internet censorship - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- DIRTY GUILD WARS 2: The Voice Cast - Unnecessary Censorship - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Into the Fray Episode 47: NFL Censorship - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Weekly Rewind "Feb 1st" Facebook Censorship? - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Street Fighter 3 2nd Impact CENSORED - Akuma's Defeat Portrait's Blood - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Inside WM: Is Censorship Ever Okay? - Ep. 3 - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- China Targets Virtual Private Networks In Censorship Push - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Tricks to Beat Internet Censorship (On Assignment) - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Censorship and Anal Sex - Video Clip with Remi Newman - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Censorship and Graphic Content Warnings - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- KIDS vs. FOOD - Unnecessary Censorship - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Christian Censorship of Truthiracy - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- FaceBook Censorship Video Featuring The M48 War Hammer - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Youtube Media Censorship - #NWO 134 - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Listen To "Cyberspace Spirit," China's Anthem To Internet Censorship - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Facebook self-censorship: What happens to the posts you ... - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Unnecessary Censorship of a bunch of Cartoons! - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- DAT CENSORSHIP! - Let's Play Saints Row IV #3 (Playthrough) - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- The Rundown Live #414 Open Lines (Corruption,Waking Up,Censorship) - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Facebook To Implement Chinese Style Internet Censorship - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Paris Fashion Week Debuts Butt Plugs in Reaction to Censorship - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Facebook Censorship: What They're Not Telling You - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Best of Unnecessary Censorship Compilation by Jimmy Kimmel - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Censorship: When Truth Becomes a Casualty - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Ice Climber CENSORED - Yeti/Seal Enemy - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- FaceBook Censorship Video Featuring The M48 Tomahawk - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Censorship: The Story Telling Podcast #73 - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Rape scene in Hotline Miami 2 and censorship - The Tara Show - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- FINAL FANTASY XIV: Unnecessary Censorship #3 - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Destiny Unnecessary Censorship - Censored Cutscenes - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- What's Cool in China? Censorship, Teenage Couples, Gay Guys - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- YOUR Thumbs UP Vanish! + Google Censorship...a Way Around It - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Zoom Censorship Examples 9-11 to Bosoms Version 2 - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Let's Play The Forest | Part 2 | Censorship! - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- INTEL Museum censorship - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Proxy Database - Access Restricted Information, Bypass Censorship! - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Criminal Girls Invite Only CENSORED - Punish/Motivate Time/Spanking - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Let's Try: Stay Dead Evolution: Nazi Censorship - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Loser Laowai on Censorship in China Part 1 - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Censorship? - - Project Censored - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Censorship | American Civil Liberties Union - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Censorship Update: My channel is back! - Video - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Alex Kidd In The Enchanted Castle CENSORED - Rock Paper Scissors - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Internet Censorship - Big Brother is Watching Everything - YouTube - Video - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- What is Censorship? - Global Internet Liberty Campaign ... - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- GSC Owner Forces Censorship of Youtube Video - Video - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- Before It's News Lisa Haven Used To Be A Skeptic! (On Chrislam, Facebook Censorship, The Madhi) - Video - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks CENSORED - Intro Cutscene/Movie - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- Top Censored Gaming - Sexy Edition Vol. 1 - Best Video Game Censorship - Video - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- Soul Calibur CENSORED - Mitsurugi/Arthur Character - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- Censorship Moments in Rooster Teeth - Video - February 17th, 2015 [February 17th, 2015]
- Chinas Internet Censorship Agency Has Its Own Anthem And We Translated It - Video - February 17th, 2015 [February 17th, 2015]
- Manga Censorship Discussion - Video - February 17th, 2015 [February 17th, 2015]
- Top Censored Covers - Gaming Box Art Vol. 1 - Best Video Game Censorship - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Cars 2 CENSORED - Intro Cutscene/Movie - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Tuff E Nuff CENSORED - Gameplay's Blood - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Carmageddon (PC) CENSORED - Pedestrians & Blood - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Carmageddon (PC) CENSORED - Intro Cutscene/Movie - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Carmageddon 64 CENSORED - Pedestrians & Blood - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Evil Zone CENSORED - Erel Plowse's Outfit - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Pilotwings 64 CENSORED -Turin Shroud's Jesus Christ Face/Everfrost Island - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- D2 CENSORED - Inro Cutscene/Movie - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Another World (Out Of This World) CENSORED - Nudity - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- D2 CENSORED - Jannie's Grandpa Boss/Tentacle - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- OBAMA WANTS INTERNET CENSORSHIP, START A NEW WAR, FORCIBLY VACCINATE YOU, AND SIGN THE TPP. - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Silent Hill CENSORED - Grey Child/Mumbler Enemies - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Mario Party CENSORED - Mini Games/Luigi & Wario Losing - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Breath Of Fire 4 CENSORED - Ursula Dropping Pants For Sailors - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Breath Of Fire 4 CENSORED - Fou-Lu Decapitating Emperor Soniel - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Resident Evil 2 CENSORED - Player Death Scenes/Animations - Video Game Censorship - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]