Sudanese Journalists Syndicate condemns ban on Al Sharq TV
Moatinoon
The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate expressed its deep concern and condemnation of the decision issued by the Sudanese authorities to ban the Al Sharq News Channel in Sudan without providing any official explanation.
The Syndicate confirmed in a statement yesterday that the aforementioned decision represents a clear violation of freedom of the press and the publics right to access information, and also poses a serious threat to the basic principles of freedom of expression and freedom of the press and media.
The Syndicate believes that the repeated targeting of media institutions, whether local or international, reflects a worrying approach towards imposing increasing restrictions on independent journalistic work. It stressed that these practices conflict with Sudans international and constitutional obligations to protect freedom of the press, and contribute to creating a repressive environment that hinders the media from performing its professional role in conveying facts to the public.
The Syndicate called on the competent authorities to immediately reverse this arbitrary decision and stop all measures that hinder freedom of journalistic work. It stressed the need to respect freedom of the press and freedom of expression as they represent the cornerstone of any society seeking democracy, and any tendency to undermine these principles will only lead to further isolation and closure.
It called on all journalists, media institutions, and local and international human rights organizations to stand in solidarity with "Al Sharq News" and confront any attempts to restrict press freedoms. The Syndicate also affirms its firm commitment to defending the rights of journalists and freedom of the media, based on its professional and ethical responsibility.
Al Sharq News Foundation said that the Director of the Foreign Media Department at the Ministry of Information informed its team working in Sudan of the ban on its activities until further notice without an official explanation.
It indicated that the decision came after "Al Sharq News" transmitted news about the content of the amendments to the constitutional document based on statements from high-level sources.
