Term Paper #4 - Legal Constraints on International Journalists
According to the 2025 World Press Freedom Index created by Reporters without Borders "more than half of the world's population lives in a country where press freedom is in a "very serious" situation- that's 4.25 billion people in 42 countries now marked bright red on the Index's map." As citizens of the United States, we are blessed with the certain freedoms that other countries do not have. Ranked 57th out of 180 countries on the index the United States is fairly tolerable of press freedom.
One country that is nowhere near as tolerable of press freedom is Sudan. Surrounded by other countries that have been marked red by the index such as Egypt, Eritrea, and Ethiopia the country of Sudan has been listed as number 156 out of the 180 countries. According to Reporters Without Borders "The military coup of 25 October 2021 marked the return of information control and censorship." Since the fighting began between the national army under General Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces under General "Hemetti" on April 15th of 2023, "threats, attacks and abuses against journalists have become much more frequent, forcing many of them to flee to neighboring countries. "
The Sudan Civil War is responsible for over more than 150,000 deaths and over fourteen million people displaced from their homes. According to the Columbia Journalism Review the civil war has "also quietly become one of the most dangerous conflicts in the world of journalists."Ezaldeen Arbab , the head of the Sudanese Journalists' Association stated, "Journalists are harassed, intimidated, and even intentionally killed for simply doing their job." and that "Many media outlets in Khartoum and other cities have been looted or burned down." Media coverage is heavily restricted from both sides of the war. It has been reported by watchdog groups that both sides have also "systematically targeted the infrastructure of journalism" Committee to Protect Journalists has stated that "armed groups have raided, occupied, or destroyed key television and radio stations" and that "twenty-three print newspapers have completely shut down, ending print journalism in Sudan altogether. The Country's primary telecommunications infrastructure has also collapsed in many areas cutting off journalists access to the internet and mobile networks."
One thing that has been mentioned over and over again is that the ongoing Sudanese Civil War has not gained the attention that it should. Words like "quiet", "isolated", and "limited awareness" have been used to describe the war. Many Sudanese feel as though they have been forgotten about or that the atrocious crimes that are being committed against the citizens of Sudan are not reaching the outside world. Why could this be especially if this conflict has quickly escalated to one of the "worst humanitarian disasters of the Twenty-first century"? Well, if reporters are scared, and rightfully so, to remain in the country and are not able to get out this information than those around the world have no idea what is going on at the frontlines. It is hard to say that the people responsible for these atrocious and gruesome crimes are smart however, their strategy of silencing all of the press and communications has only helped their efforts. By silencing the press, it has left the people of Sudan in the dark about what is going on around the country, thus isolating them to information from those within their city or from one of the groups themselves. Also, by silencing journalist they have kept the realities of how bad the situation was for a long time and has hindered aid from coming.
One Journalist reported to Amjambo Africa that "These risks are constant; I have traveled multiple times between army- and RSF- controlled areas via smuggling routes. Once, I had to bury my mobile phone underground to avoid searches by RSF fighters." The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate since the beginning of the conflict has documented over 500 crimes against journalists. These crimes include arrests, detentions, physical assaults, and the destruction of media offices. Depending on who controls the area in which the journalists are in it could mean a difference in threats. N explains that "The RSF often considers us spies for the army, which can lead to torture or death. In army-controlled areas, the danger is detention, or travel bans if our work contradicts their narrative." It is very clear to the journalists who still fight for the truth to be released, every story they publish could very well be their last to tell. Not only do they have to worry about being dragged out of their homes and offices they have to worry about being out in the field covering the story and getting caught in the crossfire.
Gut-wrenching stories like that of Halima Idris Salim, a reporter for a local independent online new outlet, who was murdered by RSF soldiers when they ran her over with a vehicle while on her way to a hospital in Umbada to report on the conditions there. Other female reporters have told Committee to Protect Journalists of the sickening conditions in which they live every day. One said that after being discovered during raid she was beaten and gang-raped by RSF fighter she said, "It was because of my work." Other women have reported rape cases to the Darfur Women Journalists Forum. However, because hospitals are either closed or destroyed and medicines are unavailable these women are having to handle the unimaginable by themselves. One journalist said " There were no doctors, no painkillers, no antibiotics. I had to heal by myself." Another journalist told CPJ of being held captive for 45 days, tortured, and threatened to stop reporting. She said that it is very common for informants to betray a journalist and that " you never know who will reveal your name. Even friends can become spies when they're hungry."
Although they walk into uncertainty and count each day as a blessing that they did not know they would live to see. There are still some journalists that are waging their own war against the silencing of the media. They are fighting every day to bring vital information to those still in Sudan and to those in the outside world. The Ayin Network in particular is a group of undercover Sudanese journalists who under false names are bringing out the truth from the darkest of places. Basma Shams is one of those journalists. Shams had not been a reporter before the war began, she had actually been an engineer, but after she after seeing that there was no information getting out to the civilians, she took it upon herself to make Facebook posts to help spread information. She was later contacted by the Ayin Network to report for them on what was happening in El-Obeid. The Ayin Network trained her on how to use video and photography along with other vital tools to help her tell her story. By late July 2023 she was covering stories regularly all while maintaining her cover as an engineer.
The Ayin Network was founded in 2013 and has since strived to break Sudan's media repression. Managing editor Tom Rhodes said "Our mission has always been to bridge the gap between the capital and the rest of the country." Reports like Basma Shams helped to document all of the grotesque things that is happening during the Civil war. She has covered stories like "A school day turns into a disaster" after a girls high school was bombed killing at least ten students and one teacher as well as dozens injured. Shams also reports on what people need to know daily about the war. She has reported on drinking water crisis, Power outages, and so much more.
The government has even gone as far as cutting internet access for "security reason". This would make it very hard on reporters like Shams to upload their video file or stories. Sometimes when the city had no internet at all Shams would have to leave the city to find somewhere that had electricity and internet available. This would put reporter like Shams in further danger when they would come across roadside checkpoints. At some checkpoints young teenage boys would be put in charge "at one checkpoint, I saw a boy holding an RPG (a shoulder-fired anti-tank weapon) who was the same height as the weapon itself" Shams had stated that the driver had tried to speed through the checkpoint but was fired at by one of the boys "It was terrifying. I thought we would die." Without internet access and phone service it meant that Shams would have to find sources in person. This would put her at an even higher risk of being discovered and arrested without charge.
In an effort to keep their reporters safe, the Ayin Network conducts a very detailed risk assessment and uses code words, they have a small emergency relocation fund, and are constantly checking in. However, they realize that their resources are limited and notices the strain that it takes on everyone, not just those living among the war, but those who are responsible for taking the videos and stories and sifting through them and uploading them. However, Eiad Hushman, a Sudanese investigative journalist, said it best "If we stop reporting, we are failing our people. The world already doesn't care about us, and stopping would only make it worse. There will be plenty of time for us to take a vacation and focus on our mental health. For now, we need to keep going." Husham is one of the few reporters that refused to write under a false name. And even after he was forced to leave Sudan he is still being harassed. For example, while investigation how Colombian mercenaries are linked to an Emirati company operating in Sudan his source abruptly canceled an interview after a "mysterious phone call." Soon after Husham noticed strange clicks and echoes on his phone, blocked bank transactions, and other signs of surveillance on his wife's phone as well. Him and his family moved to Nairobi and the investigation was never finished.
As this chapter in history is continuing to unfold many wonder what they can do to help. It is not only the Journalists who are being devastated by the civil war but also the over 30 million people in urgent need of assistance. Forty-five percent of the population is facing acute food insecurity. UNICEF states on their website that " UNICEF USA , UN World Food Programme (WFP) , and Food and Agriculture Organization are prioritizing the hardest-hit areas with integrated food, nutrition, health, WASH, protection, and agricultural and livestock health support." However, it is coming increasingly hard as "humanitarian workers and supplies are frequently targeted, while aid convoys face delays, denials and security threats."
Some ways that those of us not facing the havoc that this civil war has brought to Sudan can help by donating to organizations such as UNICEF USA , Sudan Relief Fund , International Committee of the Red Cross , and many others. Ultimately, while it is the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces fight these civilians are being caught in the crosshairs of a war they did not even ask for. These citizens are facing unimaginable and heinous acts.
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