Sudan: CFJ Condemns Arrest of Journalist Ahmed Youssef Al-Tay Calls for His Immediate Release

January 15, 2025 – Sudan – 

Sudanese security forces detained journalist Ahmed Youssef Al‑Tay in Al‑Dindir, Sennar State (southeast Sudan). He was arrested without warrants or charges and subsequently transferred to Sinja, marking a blatant violation of press freedom according to the Committee for Justice (CFJ).

CFJ strongly condemned the detention, stressing the arbitrary nature of the arrest and calling for Al‑Tay’s immediate and unconditional release. The committee rejected any justification for targeting journalists, underscoring that his detention undermines Sudan’s legal obligations and international press freedom standards.

This arrest fits a troubling pattern in Sudan, where journalists and human rights defenders frequently suffer intimidation, detention, or worse. Just weeks earlier, CFJ had similarly decried the 48-hour detention of another journalist, Munir Al-Turki, and documented even more serious abuses, including alleged torture and killings of media practitioners.

CFJ demanded that Sudanese authorities halt the harassment of media workers and ensure a safe and independent environment for journalists. Their statement emphasizes that a free press is indispensable to democracy and the rule of law, and actions such as Al‑Tay’s arrest erode public trust and accountability.

CFJ’s appeal draws support from Sudan’s constitutional commitments and international human rights treaties, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantee freedom of expression and impose restrictions only when necessary and proportionate.

Reference – 

https://www.cfjustice.org/sudan-cfj-condemns-the-arrest-of-journalist-ahmed-youssef-al-tay-and-calls-for-his-immediate-release/