Port Sudan, May 20 (Darfur24)
A cybercrimes court in Port Sudan sentenced Sudanese journalist Rashan Oshi on Monday to one year in prison and imposed a fine of 10 million Sudanese pounds in a case filed against her under Articles 25 and 26 of the cybercrime law.
The ruling was issued by Cybercrimes Court Judge Muhammad Hassan Jaber Al-Sheen in case No. 1296 of 2025, filed by Abdul-Mutallab Muhammad Ahmad against Rashan Muhammad Tawfiq Oshi.
The court ordered the sentence to be implemented immediately, with the penalties to be carried out sequentially. It also ruled that if the fine is not paid, it would be converted into an additional six-month prison term.
Two sources close to Oshi told Darfur24 that police officers carried out the ruling shortly after it was issued, arresting the journalist and transferring her to the women’s prison in Port Sudan.
One of the sources said efforts were underway to appeal the verdict through a team of lawyers, while parallel discussions were taking place with several parties in an attempt to secure her release.
Another source told Darfur24 that the case stemmed from an article published by Oshi in which she accused a police officer working at the Sudanese consulate in Aswan of corruption. According to the source, the court concluded that she was unable to provide documentary evidence supporting the allegations.
The ruling sparked widespread solidarity among Sudanese journalists, calling for media-related cases to be handled under the Press and Publications Law rather than through cybercrime courts.
Journalists and activists argued that referring journalists to cybercrime courts restricts press freedom and discourages reporting on sensitive issues involving public officials and state institutions.
