The Sudanese Journalists Union issued a press statement marking World Press Freedom Day, revealing an unprecedented tragedy facing Sudanese journalism since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023.
The union stated that the journalism profession in Sudan—whose history dates back to 1903 and whose presses had not stopped for over 120 years—is now facing systematic targeting by the Rapid Support Forces militia. According to the statement, the militia has sought to isolate Sudan from the world and conceal its crimes by attacking and dismantling the media sector, in a series of violations described as rising to the level of crimes against humanity.
The statement explained that the human toll among journalists has been severe: 26 male and female journalists were killed by direct gunfire or indiscriminate shelling, while hundreds have been subjected to arbitrary detention. Around 20 journalists remain held in secret militia prisons in the cities of El Geneina, Nyala, and El Fasher, with their fate unknown. In addition, thousands of media workers have been forcibly displaced after their homes and workplaces were turned into military barracks and battlefields, in what the union described as a barbaric attempt to silence the truth and erase national memory.
On the infrastructure level, the union documented widespread destruction of official media institutions, including the Sudan News Agency, the Sudanese Radio and Television Corporation, and the Broadcasting Authority. Historical digital archives were burned, and technical equipment and outside broadcasting vehicles worth more than $26 million were looted, resulting in the displacement of 2,500 employees and technicians.
International media outlets were not spared, as offices of foreign channels were targeted and their equipment stolen. This occurred alongside the complete dismantling of private media institutions and television channels in the capital and in other regions affected by militia control.
The union concluded its statement by praising the resilience of Sudanese journalists who have continued to carry out their mission through alternative platforms despite limited resources and significant risks. It called on the international community and relevant organizations to explicitly classify the militia’s actions as war crimes and to pursue accountability to prevent impunity. It also urged the International Committee of the Red Cross to take immediate action to secure the unconditional release of detained journalists and to provide protection for media personnel facing violence and displacement in areas under militia control.
