English PDF - East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders ...

26Journalists on the Frontline of Human Rights DefencePress LawThe current press law does not include articles guaranteeing freedom of the press, discriminatingstate censorship, and protecting journalist’s right to information. This means there is high needfor legal reforms, in the media legislations and practices, and also a need for democratization inthe bodies that govern the media, such as the Press Act and the Press Council for the printedmedia, the Electronic Media Act and regulatory bodies such as the Radio and TV BroadcastingAuthorities. Currently, the mandate of the press council gives it power and supervision authoritythat abuses the freedom and independence of the press. The council has the right to imposeadministrative sanctions which should be the authority of the court only. Unless the hands ofchange will reach these acts and bodies, nothing can lead to democratic transformation of medialaws and situation in the country.The right to information is also not well acknowledged. There are no sanctions for Governmentdepartments and officials who refuse to give unclassified information. There is not enoughprotection for journalists at workThe current journalist registration system should also be changed; according to the law journalistsshould sit for exams organized by the National Press Council to have permission to practicejournalism.Media and CensorshipAll the media, whether electronic or the printed press have been suffering from policies andsevere practices of Government control and censorship. Print media have suffered from securityinterference for a long period during the current Government rule, including periods after thesigning of the CPA, and the newly introduced Transitional Constitution of the year 2005.It is not only the direct censorship which is practiced by the security that is the only responsiblephenomenon or practice for the deterioration of the media situation. One can add to the securityinterference, other elements, such as the ownership, which reflects in the policies of the media,advertisement pressure, and absence of an independent journalists’ body. The current Union ofJournalists is a pro-Government organization which falls short of the necessary aspects ofindependence, democracy and equal representation of all journalists.Again, its restrictive laws and practices (Panel Act Article 159, defamation, etc.) together with thewhole atmosphere that pushes journalists to practice self-censorship in order to avoidconfrontation with the repressive laws and Governmental agencies.There are also major restriction on reporting on the Darfur conflict; journalists risk being arrestedand newspapers fined and closed.Monitoring and Documentation of Media AbusesIn this repressive situation, media abuses have been monitored and documented by someSudanese human rights organizations, regional, and international freedom of expressionorganizations. The main organizations, which are documenting and monitoring the media abusesare; Sudan Organization Against Torture (SOAT), Reporters Without Boarders (RSF),Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ),InternationalFreedom of Expression Ex-change (IFEX). Those organizations are issuing alerts and pressreleases, statements, and annual reports.