Nyala, July 29(Darfur24)
The Sudanese Journalists Association warned on Tuesday of the deteriorating health conditions of three female journalists detained by the Rapid Support Forces(RSF) in Nyala, South Darfur State. The journalist Association demanded their immediate and unconditional release, saying that they should allowed to receive medical treatment outside of their detention.
In a statement, the syndicate said it had received “confirmed and alarming information” indicating the deteriorating health of Ishraqah Abdel Rahman, a presenter on Nyala Radio, and radio reporters Zahraa Mohamed Al-Hassan and Mawaheb Ibrahim, along with a number of other female activists detained with them.
The statement added that the detainees are being held in “extremely poor detention conditions lacking the most basic healthcare,” noting that the administration of the detention center is refusing to allow them receive treatment outside the center despite the seriousness of their health conditions.
The journalist union explained that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) arrested the female journalists and activists on February 28th, following their participation in a workshop organized by women’s organizations on women’s rights in Nyala. The union confirmed that they remain in detention without formal charges or trial.
The union condemned what it described as the “arbitrary arrest” of the journalists and activists, demanding the RSF’s immediate and unconditional release of all detainees. It also called on RSF to assume full responsibility for their safety and health, provide them with urgent medical care, and allow their transfer to hospitals for treatment.
Furthermore, the union called for the disclosure of their whereabouts and for their families and lawyers to be granted access to visit and communicate with them. The association held the RSF “legally and morally responsible” for their lives and for any harm that may befall them.
The union appealed to local, regional, and international organizations and bodies concerned with press freedom and human rights to intervene urgently and pressure the Rapid Support Forces to release the female journalists and other detained women, and to ensure they receive necessary medical care.
The union asserted that what the female journalists are experiencing “is not merely arrest, but part of a systematic campaign aimed at silencing the media and obstructing the flow of information from conflict zones.” It affirmed its full solidarity with its colleagues and called on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities in protecting journalists and ensuring their safety while performing their duties.i