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Osman Mirghani recovering from an incident in 2014, after being beaten by gunmen who raided the offices of his newspaper. By Ebrahim Hamid, Ebrahim Hamid (AFP / File)
Dozens of Sudanese journalists demonstrated Monday in downtown Khartoum to demand the release of an editor arrested for criticizing the state of emergency imposed by President Omar al-Bashir, have declared witnesses.
Osman Mirghani, editor-in-chief of the independent daily Al-Tayar, was taken from his office by security agents on the night of February 22, after commenting on Bashir's decision to impose a state of affairs. National emergency.
Bashir imposed the state of emergency after a first wave of repression failed to quell the many demonstrations against his administration that broke out in December.
Journalists gathered in downtown Khartoum to express their solidarity with Mirghani and fight for freedom of expression in this country of East Africa.
"We are the voice of our people and not the regime," they chanted and carried banners demanding the release of Mirghani, said witnesses, before dispersing.
The event was organized by the Sudanese Journalists Network, a group belonging to the Sudanese Professionals' Association (ASP), which is spearheading the protest campaign against Bashir's iron-fist regime.
Mirghani was arrested after an interview with Sky News Arabia in which he claimed that Bashir's actions "would trigger a new wave" of demonstrations and send a message that the public "can exert more pressure to achieve its goal of dismantling this scheme ".
This American engineer turned journalist was often targeted by security agents. He was arrested several times, confiscated copies of his newspaper or banned publication without giving reasons.
The powerful Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) routinely captures entire newspapers for articles deemed inappropriate, especially those critical of government authorities or policies.
Sudan ranks 174th out of 180 countries according to the Reporters Without Borders 2018 Press Freedom Index.
The first demonstration took place on December 19 following the government's decision to triple the price of bread.
But they quickly escalated into nationwide protests against the Bashir regime, which had lasted three decades, protestors begging him to withdraw.
The protesters accused his administration of mismanaging the country's economy, which resulted in soaring food prices, a shortage of fuel and currency.
Bashir, 75, remained provocative in the face of protests.
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