The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented the re‑arrest of journalist Hagar Suleiman in the Northern State, following an order issued by the State Prosecutor. A new charge was filed against her under Article 107 of the Sudanese Criminal Act, relating to “criminal concealment.”
According to CFJ’s documentation, the re‑arrest occurred after Suleiman was summoned to the Prosecutor’s Office under what was described as a “friendly invitation,” despite her earlier release on bail in previous cases. Information gathered indicates that the journalist was subjected to direct questioning by the State Prosecutor—whose name had previously appeared in investigative articles she published about alleged abuses within the Dongola Prosecution Office.
CFJ noted that the interrogation focused on attempts to compel Suleiman to reveal her sources, a demand she firmly rejected, invoking her legal right to protect journalistic sources in accordance with Article 25 of the 2009 Press and Publications Act, which guarantees the right of journalists to withhold the identity of their sources.
CFJ expressed serious concern over the fairness and neutrality of the procedures, particularly in light of a potential conflict of interest, given that the interrogation was conducted by an official who had been the subject of Suleiman’s published criticism. The Committee stressed that prosecuting journalists for their professional work poses a direct threat to press freedom and undermines the public’s right to access information.
The Committee for Justice reaffirmed that protecting freedom of expression and safeguarding journalistic work are core pillars of the rule of law, calling on the competent authorities to ensure full respect for journalists’ legal rights and to refrain from using criminal procedures as a tool to restrict their work or pressure them to disclose their sources.
