The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate announced today Wednesday 14 January 2926 that it has documented 67 cases of violations against journalists over the past year, describing the deterioration of press freedom as “dangerous” amid the ongoing armed conflict for the third consecutive year.
The annual report issued by the Syndicate’s Freedoms Secretariat revealed the killing of 14 journalists and media workers, 6 cases of enforced disappearance, 4 long-term arrests, 9 cases of temporary arbitrary detention, and 4 judicial prosecutions.
The report also monitored 8 cross-border violations, 19 cases of threats, hate speech, and defamation, in addition to 3 institutional measures that restricted journalistic work.
The report indicated that the violations recorded during 2025 are no longer accidental results of military operations, but have taken on an “organized and systematic” form. This reflects the collapse of the civilian protection system and the absence of the rule of law, which threatens the public’s right to knowledge and undermines prospects for peace.
According to the report, 2025 saw a qualitative escalation in terms of severity and geographical spread, bringing the total number of violations since the outbreak of conflict in April 2023 to 590 cases.
The report highlighted the city of El-Fasher as one of the most dangerous hotspots for violations. It noted the disappearance of three journalists in the city shortly before the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took control in October 2025; their fate remains unknown due to communication blackouts and continuous shelling.
Regarding fatalities within the media community, the report stated that some died due to indiscriminate shelling, while others were directly targeted or died as a result of torture and deprivation of healthcare while in detention.
The Syndicate documented 8 cases of violations affecting Sudanese journalists in countries of asylum, particularly in Egypt and Libya. These included physical assaults, security threats, and illegal summons, confirming that risks pursue journalists even beyond the country’s borders.
The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate demanded that the parties to the conflict commit to protecting journalists as civilians, immediately release detainees, and reveal the fate of those forcibly disappeared.
Furthermore, it called on the international community to exercise serious pressure to stop these violations and provide urgent protection programs, urging host countries to ensure the safety of journalists and investigate the attacks they have faced.
