PORT SUDAN – The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate on Wednesday expressed concern over what it described as the rapidly deteriorating health of three women journalists detained by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Nyala, South Darfur, calling for their immediate and unconditional release.
In a statement, the syndicate said the detainees — Ishraqa Abdelrahman, a presenter at Nyala State Radio, Zahra Mohamed Al Hassan, a radio correspondent, and Mawahib Ibrahim, also a radio correspondent — were being held alongside several female civil society activists in conditions that allegedly lack adequate medical care. Sudan Now could not independently verify the claims.
The syndicate said it had received what it described as credible information indicating that the women’s health had deteriorated significantly and alleged that prison authorities had refused to allow them to receive treatment outside the detention facility despite their medical condition.
According to the statement, the journalists and activists were detained on Feb. 28 after participating in a workshop on women’s rights organized by women’s organizations in Nyala. The syndicate said they remain in custody without formal charges or court proceedings.
The syndicate called on the RSF to release all detained journalists and activists, provide urgent medical care, disclose their place of detention and allow their families and lawyers access to them. The RSF did not immediately comment on the allegations.
The statement comes amid growing concern over the safety of journalists in Sudan, where media workers have faced killings, arbitrary detention, intimidation and restrictions on reporting since the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF erupted in April 2023. International press freedom organizations have repeatedly called on all parties to the conflict to protect journalists and respect press freedom in accordance with international humanitarian law.
