Sudan: Security service confiscate editions of Al-Ayam and Al-Mustakellah newspapers

The Sudanese security and intelligence service confiscated copies of Al-Ayam and Al-Mustakellah newspapers that were prepared for distribution on Sunday, without giving reasons for the confiscation.

The editor-in-chief of Al-Ayam daily newspaper, Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh, said that the reasons for the confiscation are unknown, and he did not rule out that the action comes as a result of a previously published item.

He explained that the security service is used to confiscating newspapers without giving reasons, pointing out that a member of the service had informed the publishers about the confiscation after the newspaper had paid its dues.

Saleh regarded the confiscation a violation of the law and the country’s constitution, which protects freedom of publication and expression; but the security authorities are “stronger than the constitution itself,” he said.

The Sudanese Journalists Network has denounced the policy of confiscation of newspapers, describing it as a violation of the freedom of the press which is, supposedly, guaranteed by law.