Sudanese Journalists Syndicate Calls for Release of Detained Journalist Al-Rayeh Essam

Moatinoon
The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate (SJS) has condemned the detention of journalist Al-Rayeh Essam Jaksa by members of the Sudan Shield Forces in Al Jazirah State, holding the armed group fully responsible for his safety and demanding his immediate and unconditional release.

In a statement, the syndicate said security personnel affiliated with the Sudan Shield Forces stopped Essam on Sunday at the entrance to Wad Madani while he was returning from covering an event at the Faculty of Education of the University of Al Jazirah in the Al-Hasaheisa area.

According to the statement, the journalist was forcibly removed from the vehicle he was travelling in and taken to an undisclosed location. His whereabouts remain unknown.

The syndicate described the detention as a "grave violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms" and a breach of international standards protecting press freedom. It said the targeting of journalists by armed groups is aimed at restricting the flow of information, intimidating media professionals, and preventing independent documentation of events.

The SJS held the Sudan Shield Forces fully responsible for Essams physical and psychological safety and called on the group to immediately disclose his place of detention, ensure his protection, and release him without conditions. It also demanded an end to all forms of intimidation and harassment targeting journalists.

The syndicate urged Sudanese security and judicial authorities to intervene immediately to secure his release and prevent similar incidents from recurring.

The statement said Essams detention reflects a broader escalation of violations against journalists in Sudan. It cited a Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report prepared jointly by the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate and the **Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)**, which documented cases of killings, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, violence against female journalists, the criminalisation of journalism through legal measures, and the destruction of Sudans media infrastructure.

The syndicate also called on national, regional, and international organisations working on freedom of expression and human rights to intensify pressure on all parties to the conflict to end the arrest and persecution of journalists, noting that Sudanese media workers continue to pay a heavy price during the ongoing war.

Reaffirming its full solidarity with Al-Rayeh Essam and his family, the SJS stressed the urgent need to strengthen protections for journalists, ensure they can work in a safe environment free from fear and intimidation, and hold those responsible for attacks on media professionals accountable.