The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented a dangerous escalation of violations committed against journalists and media workers in Sudan throughout 2025, amid ongoing conflict and the collapse of legal protections. These violations resulted in the killing of 14 journalists and media professionals during the past year.
According to CFJ, the violations included six cases of enforced disappearance, four long-term detentions, nine cases of arbitrary arrest and temporary detention, and four judicial prosecutions—reflecting a systematic pattern of targeting journalism and persistent attempts to silence independent voices.
CFJ also recorded eight cross‑border violations affecting Sudanese journalists in countries of asylum, in addition to 19 cases of threats, hate speech, and smear campaigns, along with three institutional decisions or measures that restricted press freedom and directly undermined the right to access information.
A Dangerous Epicenter
The committee noted that El‑Fashir, the capital of North Darfur State, emerged in 2025 as one of the most dangerous hotspots for press freedom violations. Continuous shelling, widespread insecurity, and near‑total communication and internet blackouts severely limited documentation efforts and hindered journalists’ ability to report events—creating a blind spot where documented violations likely represent only a fraction of the actual scale.
CFJ also recorded three cases of disappearance involving journalists who were present in El‑Fashir shortly before the deadly events that accompanied the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) takeover of the city in October 2025. To date, no information has been made available regarding their fate or whereabouts.
Compound Targeting of Women Journalists
The committee’s monitoring revealed that women journalists faced what CFJ described as “compound targeting”, including arrest, harassment, threats, and smear campaigns. These abuses were exacerbated by additional security and social constraints that increased their vulnerability and limited their access to protection and support systems.
CFJ stated that these violations constitute a grave breach of international humanitarian law and multiple international instruments that guarantee freedom of expression, press freedom, and the protection of journalists as civilians. The committee called on all parties to the conflict to immediately cease targeting journalists, release all those arbitrarily detained, disclose the fate of those forcibly disappeared, and ensure a safe environment that allows journalists to work without fear or reprisals.
