The International Press Institute (IPI) today released a comprehensive report on the state of press freedom in Sudan, independently compiled by Sudanese freelance journalist Abdelgadir Mohammed Abdelgadir.  The report, entitled “Pens under Siege” covers the 16-month period between Aug. 2011 and Dec. 2012.

Through interviews with Sudan-based reporters, editors, and publishers, Abdelgadir documented a multitude of press freedom restrictions. Such restrictions, he found, included both highly visible incidences of government-led attacks on the media newspaper closures; suspensions of newspaper licenses; the withholding and/or confiscating of newspaper editions at the printing press; arrests, torture, and harassment of journalists; and deportations of foreign journalists), as well as less public efforts to silence critical journalism (economic “wars” against newspapers, the withholding of government advertisements in media outlets critical of the regime, and censorship of newspapers and websites).

IPI Deputy Director Anthony Mills stated: “This report reveals the serious challenges to press freedom that Sudanese newspaper journalists face on a daily basis and highlights the need for significant reform to Sudan’s current media laws.  We urge Sudanese authorities to take this report very seriously and to allow Sudan’s journalists to do their jobs free of harassment and intimidation.”

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In preparation for the release of “Pens under Siege,” IPI interviewed Abdelgadir Mohammed Abdelgadir about the state of Sudan’s media and his personal experienceas a journalist:

IPI: What kind of challenges did you face during your work on “Pens under Siege?” Did you ever feel threatened, impeded, or in danger while working on the report?

AMA: I faced several major challenges. Because Sudan is one of the most dangerous countries for journalists, I tried to keep a low profile while working on the report. I also have past experience with this kind of work. Sometimes I felt that the work put me in danger and I felt threatened, even afraid, but I kept working because I want people around the world to know what’s going on in my country.

IPI: Has the status of press freedom changed in Sudan since you finished the report? How do you view the future of press freedom in Sudan given the current political and social conditions there?

AMA: There have been no significant changes. The NISS [National Intelligence and Security Services]stopped interfering in journalists work, but this hasn’t really changed anything. The government announced that they will stop pre-publication censorship, and they have, but the problems with press freedom in Sudan are not just in pre-publication censorship. A climate of fear continues to plague journalists in Sudan, who often self-censor for fear of legal or physical consequences.

The future of press freedom in Sudan is very dark and it’s very difficult to know what will happen tomorrow! The government is always against journalists and is always working to restrict their work.

IPI: You said in “Pens under Siege” that newspapers have historically played an important role in informing the public, but how have broadcast (radio, television) and the Internet affected the status of newspapers? Do radio and television stations face the same types of censorship and restrictions as newspapers in Sudan?

AMA: Radio and TV in Sudan are completely controlled by the government. Theyare basically government institutions. Newspapers in Sudan have a marginal space for freedom because of their ownership. The government knows this, and is attempting to work against that small marginal space.

The Internet has begun to play an important role in informing people in Sudan.There are so many people now who get their information from the Internet and the government hasn’t been able to completely control it. The Internet now in Sudan is playing a vital role in informing the public. It has become a real alternative to newspapers, radio, and television here.

IPI: Have you ever been confronted by the NISS? As a journalist, have you ever been censored, intimated, threatened, or harmed because of your work? If so, could you please explain the circumstances…?

AMA: I have been arrested three times, and each time I was released without charges. These arrests occurred while I was doing my work. My articles have also been censored many times (more than 70). It was this censorship that inspired me to consider documenting press freedom violations.

Download the full version of “Pens under Siege” in English and Arabic.

Disclaimer: This publication is the work of Abdelgadir Mohammed Abdelgadir, and is not an IPI publication. IPI does not necessarily support the opinions and cannot independently verify all of the information presented in either the Arabic or English language versions of this report.  

For more information about the report, please contact Abdelgadir Mohammed Abdelgadir directly at Gadoora5m (at) yahoo.com