Journalist to face prison charges for reporting on activist’s alleged rape

06/07/2011 19:21

The Khartoum Northern Court sentenced Saad Eldin Ibrahim, editor-in-chief of the El-Jareeda newspaper, to a fine of 5000 pounds. The journalist Fatma Elghazali, on her side, had to choose between one month of emprisonment and a 2000-pounds-fine due to her report on Darfuri female activist Safiya Ishaq’s alleged rape by three members of the Sudanese Security Forces.   The editor-in-chief described the verdict as unfair and abnormal, while Ms. Elghazali’s lawyer, Hassan Abdulla, stated that his client chose for the prison sentence. He furthermore added that this verdict might be the first of its kind since the authorities directed charges to multiple journalists for writing about this case.

The Khartoum Northern Court sentenced Saad Eldin Ibrahim, editor-in-chief of the El-Jareeda newspaper, to a fine of 5000 pounds. The journalist Fatma Elghazali, on her side, had to choose between one month of emprisonment and a 2000-pounds-fine due to her report on Darfuri female activist Safiya Ishaq’s alleged rape by three members of the Sudanese Security Forces.

 

The editor-in-chief described the verdict as unfair and abnormal, while Ms. Elghazali’s lawyer, Hassan Abdulla, stated that his client chose for the prison sentence. He furthermore added that this verdict might be the first of its kind since the authorities directed charges to multiple journalists for writing about this case.