Do we really need a new press law!?

Many observers blame the current press crisis in Sudan on successive regimes and economic realities, including high cost of printing inputs compounded by the deterioration of the local currency. These harsh realities prompted some newspapers to raise their price in an attempt to ensure continuity. In addition, no regime has issued tougher and more prolific press laws than this present government.

In a workshop organized yesterday by “Teeba Press” and “Nida’at Media”, titled “Discussions on the draft law of Printing and Press”, journalism and legal experts unanimously criticized the draft law currently being reviewed by parliament, saying that the 2009 law currently in force does not need an update; since the amendments and changes made are less than twenty-five percent. A new law in not required, “unless it intends to make new restrictions on the press”, was the unanimous verdict!

Without exception, experts agreed that the answer isn’t a new law, as much as an end to undue intervention by the security authorities. Journalists should be left unmolested to do their work, and all cases deemed a threat national security should be referred to the press attorney of the Press and Publications Council, they stressed.

 Referring back to the title, I would like to reemphasize the question: do we really need a new law? Or does the crisis have other causes!?

Another important query has to do with the role of the Press and Publications Council, regarding such violations of press freedom by the security authorities.    

In the past, the National Security Service (NISS) has censored publications by dispatching its agents to stop papers from being printed. Recently they have resorted to a new, more punishing strategy by confiscating publications after printing, forcing newspapers to incur heavy financial losses.

Security authorities are now known for targeting press freedom through a range of tactics, including confiscation of every last issue, instigating legal proceedings against journalists and banning others from writing altogether. Occasionally, the NISS even texts SMS messages to chief editors to avoid mention of this or that sensitive subject in the following day’s issue.

This represents serious curtailment of freedom of expression.

We demand that the press council reconsider its position, in view of freedom of expression guaranteed by the interim constitution and internationally recognized basic human rights.