Amid escalating grave violations against Sudanese journalists, the Committee For Justice (CFJ) strongly condemns the abduction of journalist Mostafa Fadl Al-Mawla, known as Abu Qouta, Director General of the Radio and Television Corporation of Central Darfur State. He was abducted by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and is currently being held — according to available information — at a police facility in Zalingei, without any formal charges and without access to his family or legal counsel, raising serious concerns about his health and safety.
CFJ noted that Mostafa had not been engaged in any journalistic activity since the suspension of broadcasting due to the war, which confirms that his targeting was arbitrary and constitutes a blatant violation of his personal liberty and fundamental rights.
The Committee holds the RSF fully responsible for his safety and demands his immediate and unconditional release, stressing that such practices violate international instruments that guarantee freedom of expression and prohibit arbitrary detention, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, both ratified by Sudan.
In a separate case that reflects a disturbing pattern of enforced disappearance, journalist Ashraf Al-Hibr has been missing since November 2024. According to his family, a person claiming to be from the Security Service answered his phone and informed them that Ashraf was in their custody and would be released before Eid al-Fitr — a promise that was never fulfilled. Since then, all communication has ceased, and his whereabouts and legal status remain unknown.
CFJ expressed deep concern over Ashraf’s disappearance and called on the relevant authorities to immediately disclose his location, clarify his health condition, and allow his family and lawyer to visit him. The Committee also urged the Public Prosecution and judicial institutions to fulfill their legal responsibilities by launching an urgent investigation into these violations and holding accountable those involved in the abduction or arbitrary detention of any journalist or civilian.
The Committee warned against the continued policy of targeting journalists and media professionals, regardless of whether they are actively working or not, emphasizing that such practices pose a serious threat to press freedom, undermine the rule of law, and may amount to crimes against humanity under international law.
CFJ called on local and international human rights and media organizations to stand in solidarity with Sudanese journalists and to pressure all parties to end the targeting of media professionals and enable them to carry out their vital role in conveying the truth without fear or intimidation.
The Committee concluded its statement by affirming that the ongoing violations against journalists — including killings, as documented by the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate in its periodic reports since the outbreak of war — represent a shameful stain on the record of those responsible and will be remembered in history as crimes against humanity and against the Sudanese people’s right to access information