The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented the arrest of journalist Qurashi Awad on the evening of 13 August 2026 by officers of the Criminal Investigation Department, who transferred him to Berber Police Station in connection with a complaint reportedly filed by the Sudanese Intelligence Service under the Cybercrime Act.
The arrest of Qurashi Awad comes amid a growing pattern of targeting journalists and opinion holders in Sudan since the outbreak of the armed conflict, through detention, legal prosecution, threats, and restrictions on journalistic work, undermining journalists’ ability to report on events, document violations, access information, and disseminate it to the public.
The Committee for Justice warns that the continuation of such practices extends beyond the individual case of Qurashi Awad and contributes to the entrenchment of a broader pattern of legal harassment against journalists because of their reporting or publicly expressed views. This comes at a time when the need for an independent press capable of accessing information and conveying facts free from intimidation and threats is increasingly critical.
CFJ calls for the immediate and unconditional release of journalist Qurashi Awad unless there is a clear and specific legal basis for his continued detention. The Committee also calls for ensuring his right to legal defense and communication with his lawyer and family, and for ending the use of criminal laws and legal procedures to restrict freedom of the press and freedom of expression.
The Committee for Justice further urges the Sudanese authorities to guarantee the protection of journalists from arrest, detention, and prosecution for the legitimate exercise of their professional duties, in accordance with international human rights standards and protections for media freedom.
