This archive report was first published on 8 January 2020.
On January 7, 2020, Sudan's transitional authorities made a significant move to dismantle institutions linked to the ousted President Omar al-Bashir. A committee tasked with this responsibility banned two newspapers and two television stations, citing their ties to Bashir's government.
The banned media outlets include the dailies Al-Sudani and Al-Ray Al-Am, as well as satellite channels Ashrooq and Teeba. According to committee member Taha Othman, the ban covers the parent companies of these outlets as well.
The decision was made in line with the transitional authorities' efforts to return funds received from Bashir's government to the Sudanese people. Mohamed al-Fekki, a member of Sudan's transitional ruling council, stated, "These institutions were funded by the state and we want to return the money to the Sudanese people."
However, Diaa al-Din Belal, the editor-in-chief of Al-Sudani, denied receiving funds from Bashir's government. He claimed that his newspaper operates under a private company and has not received any funds from a party or government authority.
President Bashir was ousted in April 2019 after months of mass protests against his three-decade rule. Sudan is currently ruled by a civilian-majority body formed after a power-sharing deal signed in August 2019.
It's worth noting that in December 2019, Bashir was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for corruption in the first of several cases against the ousted autocrat. He was also charged with illicitly receiving millions of dollars from Saudi Arabia.
