Sudanese media professionals and journalists are facing extremely difficult conditions due to the shutdown of media institutions, including newspapers, radio stations, and local television channels. In addition, they have been directly targeted by both sides of the conflict in areas controlled by the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, leading to serious violations that have directly threatened their lives.
The collapse of journalism in Sudan has gone beyond the closure of newspapers and loss of readership. It has also affected hundreds of journalists who now face unemployment, forcing many to seek alternative jobs unrelated to their profession, while others have become internally displaced or refugees.
Since the outbreak of armed clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces on April 15, 2023, all print newspapers in the country have ceased publication due to insecurity and the shutdown of printing presses.
Risks and Threats
Hundreds of journalists have been subjected to arrest, abduction, and enforced disappearance, along with intense pressure from both sides of the conflict. These violations include death threats, physical harm, confiscation of equipment, and the closure of media institutions. Since the start of the war in April 2023, a total of 590 documented violations against journalists have been recorded and classified according to their nature.
Arrests and Killings
According to a report monitoring violations against journalists and press freedoms, 2025 witnessed a sharp increase in victims. During that year, 14 journalists and media workers were killed. In addition to these killings, the report recorded six cases of enforced disappearance and a total of 17 cases involving arrests, detention, and legal prosecution. There was also a rise in cross-border violations, threats, hate speech, and defamation, reaching 27 documented cases.
The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate report highlighted the city of El-Fasher as one of the most dangerous hotspots for violations against journalists in 2025. It noted the disappearance of three journalists in the city prior to the massacres that coincided with the Rapid Support Forces’ control of the capital of North Darfur on October 26, 2025, with no information available about their whereabouts or conditions.
The report also pointed out that continuous shelling, insecurity, and the near-total disruption of communication and internet services in El-Fasher have hindered documentation efforts and restricted journalists’ ability to report information, creating an “information blackout.” It added that the documented violations likely represent only a small portion of the actual reality.
A Dark Reality
Sudanese journalist Ashraf Abdelaziz stated that the 2025 report by the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate reflects a dramatic and tragic shift in press freedoms. He explained that violations are no longer isolated incidents caused by war conditions but have evolved into systematic and organized targeting aimed at silencing the truth and obscuring public awareness.
He added that documenting 67 direct violations, including the killing of 14 journalists in a single year, indicates the most dangerous period in the history of modern Sudanese journalism, with the collapse of civilian protection systems and the rise of a culture of impunity.
Abdelaziz further noted that El-Fasher stands as a stark example of this dark reality, especially as it has become a major danger zone due to shelling, siege, and communication blackouts. This has made documentation itself a life-threatening task, as reflected in the uncertainty surrounding the fate of missing journalists amid ongoing military operations.
He concluded that this escalation—marked by killings under torture, enforced disappearances, and prolonged arbitrary detentions—shows that all parties to the conflict and security actors now view independent journalism as an existential threat that must be silenced.
