Sudan women journalists’ voices and pens deserve protection, redress, and justice

Sudan’s Women Journalists Network has warned of escalating violations and crimes against journalists in Sudan, particularly women, and a growing culture of impunity amid the continuing war, widespread availability of weapons, proliferation of armed militias, and weakening state institutions.

In a report issued to mark International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, the network called for an end to the war, the disarmament of militias, and investigations into crimes and violations committed against journalists, with those responsible held accountable and justice and redress secured for victims and survivors.

The report says the current war in Sudan has deepened the crisis of justice and the rule of law, turning crimes against journalists into evidence of wider failures within the justice system. Access to justice has become increasingly militarised, while law enforcement agencies and judicial institutions have lost much of their ability to operate independently and effectively, prosecute perpetrators, and secure redress for victims.

It notes that the militarisation of judicial procedures since the outbreak of war has made it extremely difficult and dangerous to file criminal complaints against those responsible for violations and pursue legal action against them.

Displacement and forced displacement have also deprived many women journalists and their families of the ability to register complaints and follow up legal proceedings. Other obstacles include social pressures that discourage women from seeking justice through the courts, as well as deteriorating economic conditions that make the high costs of litigation unaffordable.

The report also highlights the absence of effective protection mechanisms for survivors and witnesses, making access to justice more difficult, increasing the risk of impunity, and reducing the prospects of redress for victims and accountability for those responsible for crimes against male and female journalists.

Accountability must underpin legal reform

The Women Journalists Network says accountability and justice must be fundamental pillars of any political change or legal and judicial reform process in Sudan.

It calls for institutional and legal safeguards to prevent the justice system from being subjected to the influence of armed groups or political and security interference, and to guarantee the independence, impartiality, and professionalism of judicial institutions.

The network stresses the importance of involving journalists in all peace processes and negotiations over Sudan’s future. Any political settlement, it says, must be based on respect for fundamental freedoms, freedom of expression, the protection of journalists, and the principles of accountability and an end to impunity, alongside guarantees for independent and professional law enforcement institutions.

It also appealed to the UN Fact-Finding Mission to intensify investigations into crimes and violations committed against Sudanese women journalists and to increase pressure to secure justice.

The network called for reparations and compensation for women journalists who have survived violations, as well as for the families of female journalists who have lost their lives because of the war. It also urged the development of practical and effective mechanisms to guarantee accountability, redress, and prevent further violations.

Calls for an end to the war and impunity

Among its recommendations, the report calls for an immediate end to the war, the disarmament of armed militias, and the cutting off of their sources of weapons, alongside the establishment of a single professional army.

The network also calls for the prosecution and accountability of those responsible for crimes and violations against journalists, and guarantees that victims and survivors can obtain justice and redress.

It further demands reform of judicial institutions and agencies to ensure their independence, impartiality, and professionalism, and to prevent interference in their work by other bodies or authorities.

Other recommendations include establishing effective protection mechanisms for journalists, survivors, and witnesses, and ensuring that victims can access justice without security, social, or economic barriers.

The network also calls for accountability and an end to impunity to be recognised as essential components of any political transition or legal and judicial reform in Sudan. Journalists must be included in peace processes and negotiations, with guarantees for the protection of press freedom and freedom of expression in any future arrangements.

In its statement, the Women Journalists Network emphasises that ending impunity is not merely a legal procedure but a fundamental condition for protecting press freedom, restoring public confidence in justice institutions, and preventing the recurrence of crimes and violations against journalists.

It concludes that women journalists’ voices and pens deserve protection, redress, and justice, and that lasting peace in Sudan cannot be achieved without holding perpetrators accountable, securing justice for victims, and putting an end to impunity.

673 violations

As reported by Radio Dabanga today, the Sudanese Journalists’ Syndicate has documented 673 violations against journalists since the outbreak of war in Sudan on 15 April 2023, including 34 killings, 116 cases of arbitrary arrest, detention, and enforced disappearance, and 120 cases of threats and hate speech.

In a statement marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, the syndicate’s Freedom Secretariat highlighted the deteriorating security and professional conditions facing journalists in Sudan since the conflict began.

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