‘SUDANESE generals must free journalist Sadiq Rizaigi now!’ the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the UK and Ireland demanded yesterday joining calls from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) for his immediate release.
Rizaigi is the head of the Sudanese Journalists Union (SJU). He was arrested and held by the Sudanese authorities on 24 July.
Anthony Bellanger, IFJ general secretary, said yesterday: ‘We demand transparency about the reasons for the arrest of our colleague Sadiq.
‘He must be immediately released and, in the event that charges are brought against him, he must have the right to a fair and transparent legal process.
‘We will not rest until Sadiq is free and the injustice stopped.’
Following an emergency meeting on 25 July the Sudanese Journalists Union issued the following statement:
‘The Sudanese Journalists Union (SJU) held an emergency meeting this Thursday morning, July 25 2019, to discuss the arrest of Sadiq Rizaigi, president of the SJU, president of the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), chairman of the East African Journalists Association (EAJA), vice president of the Federation of Arab Journalists (FAJ).
‘We lost contact with the president of SJU since Wednesday afternoon, July 24 2019, and later it became clear that he was detained but we did not have any information on the reason for his arrest.
‘The executive office of the SJU demands the Transitional Military Council (TMC) immediately releases the president of the SJU and explains the reason for his arrest, and to present him with a prompt and fair trial if he is proved to warrant arrest and trial.
‘The executive office has formed a committee for immediate contact with the TMC and relevant authorities to know the circumstances of his arrest.
‘The executive office will remain in constant session to follow up the matter and to provide information to the public on a timely basis.
‘The executive office thanks the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the East African Journalists Association (EAJA) and the Federation of Arab Journalists (FAJ) who expressed deep concern over his arrest.’
