Sudan suspends SkyNews and two other Saudi TV channels

On Tuesday, Sudan suspended three TV channels, the Arabic version of SkyNews and Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya and Al Hadath channels, for failing to respect the “required transparency and professionalism” in information, without providing further details.

“It has been decided to suspend the following channels in Sudan because they did not maintain the required transparency and professionalism. Consequently, their permits to conduct media activities in the country were not renewed. These channels are Al-Arabiya, Al-Arabiya and Al-Arabiya. Hadat and Sky News,” Sudan’s Ministry of Culture and Information said in a statement.

According to the note, the decision to suspend broadcasting will come into force this Tuesday, as soon as Culture Minister Graham Abdelkader signs the relevant order, in which he calls on the competent authorities to take “the necessary measures to implement the decision.” did.”

Upon learning of the suspension, SkyNews Arab limited itself to publishing a brief information on the networks, saying that “The Ministry of Culture and Information of Sudan has decided to suspend the operation of the Arabic channel SkyNews, Al Arabiya and Al Hadath,” without further details.

Al-Hadat posted a brief comment on social networks: “Both the army and [o grupo paramilitar] The Rapid Support Force (RSF) is not satisfied with our coverage, but the Sudanese people are happy.”

The suspension of broadcast licenses comes nearly two months after a communications blackout, especially the internet, that Sudan has suffered since February 7 as a result of fighting between the army and the RSF and which has led to a complete cessation of communications, bank transfers, electronic payments and the distribution of humanitarian aid .

The decision comes two weeks before the first anniversary of the start of fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which has so far led to 13,900 deaths and the world’s worst wave of displacement, according to the UN.