The Sudanese Journalists' Syndicate has documented 673 violations against journalists since the war began in Sudan on 15 April 2023. These violations include 34 killings, 116 cases of arbitrary arrest, detention, and enforced disappearance, and 120 cases of threats and hate speech. The syndicate's Freedom Secretariat highlighted the deteriorating security and professional conditions facing journalists in Sudan since the conflict began.
The syndicate reported that threats against journalists have taken increasingly dangerous forms. By the end of June 2026, it had documented various types of violations, including physical assaults, looting, institutional abuses, and cross-border violations. The Freedom Secretariat expressed particular concern over the cases of five journalists who have been subjected to enforced disappearance.
The five journalists subjected to enforced disappearance are Ashraf El Habr, in areas controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF); Musab El Hadi, whose captors remain unknown; and Mustafa Fadl El Mawla, Magdi Youssef El Zein, and Mohamed Hussein Shalabi, in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The syndicate also documented arbitrary arrests involving Adam Ishaq Manan and Maamar Ibrahim.
The syndicate revealed that it had documented 64 cases of prosecution during the war. These included complaints filed under the Cybercrime Act against 47 journalists and media organisations in a single instance, following which 18 journalists were declared wanted fugitives. The syndicate warned about recent amendments to the Cybercrime Act and Article 51/A of the 1991 Criminal Act.
The Freedom Secretariat called for independent and transparent investigations into crimes targeting journalists and for those responsible to be held accountable. It also demanded the repeal of restrictive legal provisions that curtail freedom of expression and the press, and an end to the use of criminal laws and emergency powers as instruments of repression.
Sudan's Women Journalists Network has warned of escalating violations and crimes against journalists in Sudan, particularly women, and a growing culture of impunity amid the continuing war. The network called for an end to the war, the disarmament of militias, and investigations into crimes and violations committed against journalists, with those responsible held accountable and justice and redress secured for victims and survivors.
The Sudanese Journalists' Syndicate and Sudan's Women Journalists Network stress that combating impunity is fundamental to safeguarding press freedom and society's right to know. They emphasize the need for full protection for the journalistic community and guaranteed access to information.
Key points
- The Sudanese Journalists' Syndicate documented 673 violations against journalists, including 34 killings and 116 cases of arbitrary arrest and detention.
- The syndicate's Freedom Secretariat called for independent investigations into crimes targeting journalists and for those responsible to be held accountable.
- Sudan's Women Journalists Network warned of escalating violations and crimes against journalists, particularly women, and a growing culture of impunity amid the continuing war.
