Newspaper publishers in Sudan are being harassed and intimidated by the arbitrary confiscation of newspaper issues and through sudden orders to cease printing.
There have been at least seven confiscations since the start of 2014 following more in the preceding months, according to the international press watchdog, Reporters Without Borders (RWB).
It says the latest closure order affected the Arabic-language daily Al-Jareeda, which was told on 27 January to stop publishing until further notice.
"These increasingly frequent acts of censorship, for which no explanation is given, are unacceptable and constitute flagrant violations of freedom of information," said Cléa Kahn-Sriber, head of RWB's Africa desk.
Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) confiscated the copies of three newspapers – Al-Ayam, Alwan and Al-Sahafa – on 4 February shortly after they had been printed.
Sudan is ranked 170th out of 179 countries in RWB's press freedom index.
Source: Reporters Without Borders
