According to reports Sudan's president Omar Hassan al-Bashir pledged to release all detained journalists at the weekend, but following just a single release Reporters Without Borders has called for more action
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Press freedom group Reporters Without Borders has called for all journalists detained in Sudan to be released "without delay", following an order by the president of Sudan. According to reports by news outlets including CNN and Reuters, Omar Hassan al-Bashir ordered the release of all detained journalists while speaking at an event on Saturday (27 August). He was quoted as saying: "In honour of this occasion and to journalists, I order the release of all detained journalists. "We call for freedom and responsibility," he is said to have added. Responding to the press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said it welcomed the announcement but called for any such release to be extended to all media workers. According to RSF the president's pledge was followed a day later by the release of one journalist, Gafar Alsabki Ibrahim, who was detained in November last year. But the group claims at least six of his colleagues remain in detention.
RSF added that all releases must be "carried out without delay".
"Gafar Alsabki's release is obviously good news but the authorities must also free Radio Dabanga's employees and must go further by dropping all the charges against them." The group also asked that recent events in the country not be forgotten, such as the reported return to prior censorship. "If Sudan wants to be seen as a country that respects freedom of expression, it really must put a stop to such practices," RSF said.
