The Journalists Syndicate condemns the arrest of journalist Al-Rayah Essam in Al-Jazirah State.

August 4, 2026 (PEN) The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate condemned the arrest of journalist Al-Rayah Essam by the “Sudan Shield” forces in Al-Jazirah State, expressing its deep concern about his fate and demanding the immediate disclosure of his place of detention and his unconditional release.

The union said in a statement that a force affiliated with “Sudan Shield” stopped Issam on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at the entrance to Wad Madani city, while he was returning from a press coverage at the College of Education at Al-Jazeera University in Al-Hasahisa city.

The union quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the force forcibly removed the journalist from the vehicle he was riding in and took him to an unknown location, noting that his fate is still unknown.

The union considered the arrest a flagrant violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and a breach of international conventions that guarantee freedom of journalistic work.

She said that the arrest of journalists and the harassment they face by armed groups is extremely dangerous, threatening the right to access information, hindering the disclosure of facts, and aiming to terrorize journalists and obscure their role in documenting events.

The union held the “Sudan Shield” forces fully responsible for the safety of journalist Al-Rayah Essam, and for any physical or psychological harm that may befall him as a result of his arrest, demanding that he be provided with protection as a journalist performing his professional duty.

The union also called on the relevant authorities, security and judicial bodies, to intervene urgently to release him, stop the intimidation and harassment measures against him, and ensure that such practices are not repeated.

The union stressed that what it described as the abduction of Al-Reeh Essam comes in the context of escalating documented violations against journalists in Sudan, noting that the Universal Periodic Review report, issued jointly by it and the Committee to Protect Journalists, revealed a clear failure to protect journalists.

She explained that the report documented multiple cases of murder, arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance, torture, violence against female journalists, the use of the law to criminalize journalistic work, as well as the destruction of the country's media infrastructure.

The union appealed to organizations working in the field of freedom of expression and human rights, and regional and international human rights bodies, to take urgent action and pressure all parties to the conflict to stop the campaigns of arrest and persecution targeting journalists.

The union said that “Sudanese journalists are paying a heavy price in this war,” expressing its full solidarity with Al-Reeh Essam and his family, and affirming its determination to continue efforts to protect journalists and expose the violations committed against them.

The union stressed that the continuation of these violations confirms the urgent need for a comprehensive review of policies to protect journalists, and to ensure a safe environment that enables them to perform their mission of conveying the truth without fear or threat, considering that the climate of war represents the greatest threat to the lives of journalists, and that the failure to hold those responsible accountable undermines justice and causes citizens to lose confiden