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Arrests at Sudan censorship rally | Arrests at Sudan censorship rally |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Police in Sudan have arrested more than 60 journalists during a protest against media censorship, witnesses say. | Police in Sudan have arrested more than 60 journalists during a protest against media censorship, witnesses say. |
Riot police armed with canes and shields rounded up the journalists outside parliament, witnesses say. | |
They then drove the journalists in a truck to the police station in Omdurman, near the capital, Khartoum. | They then drove the journalists in a truck to the police station in Omdurman, near the capital, Khartoum. |
Demonstrators said they had been protesting against a press crackdown under way despite guarantees of media freedom in a 2005 peace deal. | Demonstrators said they had been protesting against a press crackdown under way despite guarantees of media freedom in a 2005 peace deal. |
Those arrested included senior editorial staff and a number of women, witnesses said. | Those arrested included senior editorial staff and a number of women, witnesses said. |
Murtada el-Ghali, editor in chief of the Ajras al-Hurriya newspaper, told AFP news agency that police had taken mobile phones and money from some of those arrested. | Murtada el-Ghali, editor in chief of the Ajras al-Hurriya newspaper, told AFP news agency that police had taken mobile phones and money from some of those arrested. |
"We are in one room," he said. | "We are in one room," he said. |
"We are sitting on the floor. They took our names. I am the only editor in chief, but there are editing managers, high-ranking journalists and 27 girls among us." | "We are sitting on the floor. They took our names. I am the only editor in chief, but there are editing managers, high-ranking journalists and 27 girls among us." |
There have been weeks of protests against media censorship in Sudan led by Ajras al-Hurriya and two other papers. | There have been weeks of protests against media censorship in Sudan led by Ajras al-Hurriya and two other papers. |
The 2005 peace agreement that brought an end to Sudan's north-south civil war is meant to uphold freedom of expression and the press. | The 2005 peace agreement that brought an end to Sudan's north-south civil war is meant to uphold freedom of expression and the press. |
But correspondents say laws guaranteeing media freedom have not been passed and the government keeps tight control over what newspapers publish. | But correspondents say laws guaranteeing media freedom have not been passed and the government keeps tight control over what newspapers publish. |
Editors say that newspapers are now subject to nightly checks by the security forces who routinely remove articles they do not approve of. | |
The former southern rebels, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), have condemned the arrests. | The former southern rebels, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), have condemned the arrests. |