IPAEA CALLS FOR THE RELEASE OF SUDANESE JOURNALIST MOHAMED SULIMAN

The International Press Association of East Africa is deeply concerned about the arrest and detention of Sudanese journalist Mohamed Suliman. Suliman is a freelance journalist who has worked for the BBC, the UK’s Channel 4 News, and other international news media.

Eyewitnesses say Suliman was arrested by Military Intelligence on 5th April in Omdurman. His lawyer, Rifaat Makawi, says he was subsequently transferred to Soba prison in Sudan’s capital Khartoum. Makawi, who describes his arrest and detention as an “enforced disappearance”, says authorities have not acknowledged his detention, have not charged him with a crime, and have not allowed him legal representation or access to his family.

Makawi and eyewitnesses say Suliman was arrested along with five other people. The rights group Sudan Civic Lab says some of them have been beaten and tortured by the Military Intelligence. Sudan’s military did not respond to IPAEA’s requests for comment. Two of the detainees, Mohamed el-Fatih and Mutaz al-Naim, have had photographs published on websites around the world. IPAEA notes that in a context of severe restrictions on press freedom in Sudan, citizen journalists play a crucial role in documenting and reporting events to the world.

Many press freedom and human rights groups, including Committee to Protect Journalists, Sudan Journalists' Network, Reporters Without Borders, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Redress have documented and criticised Sudan’s military rulers’ crackdown on journalists, widespread use of arbitrary detentions, and questioned the legality of the emergency laws.

IPAEA calls on Sudanese authorities to either release Suliman or, if they have evidence he has committed a crime, to charge him accordingly and present it in a court.

IPAEA also urges Sudan’s diplomatic partners, including the Troika of the UK, USA, and Norway, and the United Nations, to engage with Sudan’s military rulers on Mohamed Suliman’s case, and on the broader lack of freedom of press.