Khartoum, June 12 (Darfur24)
The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate on Thursday accused the Ministry of Culture and Information of reviving policies associated with the regime of former President Omar al-Bashir by attempting to impose restrictions on independent media through administrative and regulatory measures.
In a statement, the syndicate rejected a government-issued electronic registration form for news websites and online platforms, describing it as a violation of press freedoms and constitutional protections.
The ministry recently gave online news outlets a 15-day deadline, ending in mid-June, to complete registration through a form requiring detailed information, including domain-related email addresses, hosting company details, cybersecurity measures, funding sources, budgets, and personal information about journalists working for the platforms.
The syndicate said the form seeks sensitive information that infringes on the rights of media workers and represents an attempt to tighten control over independent journalism.
According to the statement, the requirements have no legal basis under Sudan’s Press and Publications Law and contradict constitutional guarantees protecting freedom of the press.
The syndicate further accused the ministry of pursuing policies aimed at influencing media institutions through the selective distribution of government advertising, which it said could favor certain outlets while financially marginalizing others. It described the approach as a continuation of past practices used to pressure independent media.
The statement also criticized what it called government interference in union affairs, stressing that the independence of professional organizations is protected under international agreements ratified by Sudan.
The syndicate called on the ministry to immediately withdraw the registration form and halt any measures linked to its implementation. It emphasized that any effort to regulate the media sector should be based on free and independent dialogue within a civilian environment.
The organization warned against a return to security and economic policies that previously curtailed press freedom and said ending the war remains essential to creating conditions for a free, independent, and professional press capable of contributing to Sudan’s future.