Sudanese Women Journalists Face Systematic Targeting Amid War
Press Freedom Under Siege as Conflict Escalates
Khartoum, May 3, 2025 – Sudanese women journalists are paying a heavy price as the war between the Sudanese Army and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) enters its third year. Since April 2023, female media workers have faced relentless threats, arrests, and violence, with press freedom collapsing amid interference from both warring factions.
Alarming Statistics of Violence
According to the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate:
- 5 women journalists assassinated
- 11 shot at during assignments
- 12 arbitrarily arrested without legal orders
- 4 cases of documented physical assault
The most recent case involved journalist Imtithal Abd Al-Fadil, detained for three days in Kassala state and barred from international travel – a clear violation of constitutional press freedoms.
Deteriorating Conditions for Media Professionals
Iman Fadl Al-Sayed, Freedoms Secretary at the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, describes a collapsing media landscape:
“1,000 journalists have stopped working, hundreds have fled to neighboring countries, and many have lost basic rights to housing and dignified living conditions.”
She notes that war coverage has become dangerously polarized, with media outlets aligned to either faction suppressing neutral reporting. The lack of trained war correspondents has created an information vacuum, while social media platforms fall prey to competing agendas.
Call for International Protection
Journalist Samar Suleiman outlines urgent needs:
- Implementation of Geneva Conventions and IHRL protections
- Investigation of violations against journalists
- Psychosocial support for traumatized media workers
- Safety equipment and training for field reporters
Suleiman emphasizes: “These systematic attacks threaten not just journalists but the fundamental human right to information. The international community must intervene to protect press freedom in Sudan.”
World Press Freedom Day Report
This special report was compiled by Mashawir for World Press Freedom Day, documenting the crisis facing Sudanese journalists through member organizations of the Sudan Media Forum.
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