Freelance journalist Omer Mohamed Omer, also known as Wad Abukar, was arrested on July 17 by the General Intelligence Service of General al-Burhan’s (SAF).
Omer was apprehended at his home in El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state. The Sudanese Journalists Network and a local journalist, who requested anonymity due to fear of reprisal, confirmed the arrest.
Omer’s detention followed his public criticism of the North Kordofan governor on his Facebook page, where he highlighted deteriorating state services and a worsening water crisis amid the civil war between the SAF and Rapid Support Forces, which began in April 2023.
Since the civil war’s outbreak, Sudanese journalists have faced increased risks, including killings, arrests, harassment, and sexual assaults.
The Sudanese Journalists Network denounced Omer’s arrest as a violation of human rights and international humanitarian law. “This arrest is a blatant attempt to stifle freedom of expression and prevent the public from being informed about the realities of the war,” a spokesperson for the Network said.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has also called for Omer’s immediate and unconditional release. “We are alarmed by reports that military intelligence arrested journalist Omer Mohamed Omer last week,” said Yeganeh Rezaian, CPJ’s Interim MENA Program Coordinator, in Washington, D.C.
