The “Committee for Justice” (CFJ) has reported that Sudanese activist Hisham Ali appeared before the Ethiopian Federal Court on Monday, March 3, 2025, in connection with a complaint filed against him by Sudanese businessman Mohamed Othman Mohamed Mahmoud. The businessman accuses Ali of defamation and damaging his reputation following leaked audio recordings that revealed financial corruption within Sudanese government institutions.
Last year, Ali published a series of leaked recordings on social media platforms that sparked public outrage in Sudan due to their exposure of suspicious financial deals and the misuse of public funds amid the country’s ongoing struggles. As a result, Ethiopian authorities summoned the activist in June 2024 to investigate the complaint filed against him.
Ali stated that the complainant and his lawyer were absent from the court session, leading to a postponement of the case. He requested that a translator be appointed for future hearings and that his lawyer be granted access to the case file.
This case is part of Hisham Ali’s ongoing efforts to expose corruption and questionable practices in Sudan, despite the significant challenges activists face amid the country’s political and economic instability.
CFJ condemns the prosecution of activist Hisham Ali for his anti-corruption efforts and calls for the charges against him to be dropped and for his targeting to cease.
