A group of Sudanese and international human rights lawyers in the United Kingdom announced the launch of multiple legal proceedings against Sky News Arabia, half-owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE and Prime Minister of Abu Dhabi. The move follows allegations of the channel’s “role in spreading misinformation, incitement, and obstructing international justice” concerning war crimes in Sudan.
The announcement came after a legal meeting in London attended by international legal experts and lawyers. It was decided to file four concurrent cases through a specialized British law firm.
The actions include a case filed in the UK against the network’s headquarters for violating Ofcom’s regulations on accuracy, impartiality, harm, and incitement; a formal complaint to UNESCO under media accountability mechanisms; and a submission to the International Criminal Court (ICC) accusing the channel of media complicity and obstruction of justice.
A multinational civil suit is also being prepared in the UK, the Netherlands, and France, accusing Sky News Arabia of “media incitement and collaboration” with entities implicated in genocide and war crimes in Sudan, and of attempting to “whitewash” their image through biased coverage.
According to the legal team’s statement, the cases are based on “documented evidence” of “serious professional and ethical violations” that breached the principles of responsible journalism and produced harmful content that hinders international legal accountability for perpetrators of crimes in Sudan.
The lawyers described the legal battle as “long and open-ended,” urging the network’s management, led by Nadeem Koteich, to prepare for the upcoming proceedings. They pledged to keep the public regularly updated on the progress of the four cases.
This move comes amid a growing wave of international human rights initiatives accusing certain regional media institutions of “misleading global public opinion about the war in Sudan and whitewashing atrocities committed by armed groups.”
