CPJ calls for release of ailing Sudanese journalists held by RSF, protection of Darfur 24 reporters

New York, July 30, 2026 – The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for the immediate release of Nyala Radio station journalists Ishraqah Abdulrahman, Zahraa Muhammad Al-Hassan and Mawahib Ibrahim, after reports that their health has deteriorated since their kidnapping by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group in February. According to a member of the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate (SJS), who spoke to CPJ on condition of anonymity citing a fear of reprisal, family members of the journalists were informed by women recently released from a detention facility that the three journalists had lost a significant amount of weight and were suffering from a fever and other untreated health complications due to a lack of medical care. CPJ is also concerned by reports that journalists working for the independent outlet Darfur 24 have received death threats from members of the Sudan Liberation Movement, a rebel faction in Darfur led by Abdel Wahid al-Nur. According to the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, the outlet has also been subjected to a coordinated campaign of incitement linked to its coverage of the conflict, with media platforms affiliated with both the RSF and the armed group accused of targeting the outlet and its reporters. “The reported deterioration in the health of Nyala Radio journalists Ishraqah Abdulrahman, Zahraa Muhammad Al-Hassan, and Mawahib Ibrahim, alongside the death threats directed at Darfur 24 journalists, demonstrates the intolerable conditions under which Sudanese journalists are being forced to work,” said CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah. “The RSF and all armed actors must immediately stop targeting journalists and ensure that members of the press can carry out their work without fear of violence, intimidation, or unlawful detention.” The continued detention of Abdel Rahman, El Hassan, and Ibrahim, who are among at least eight journalists, including prominent Sudanese journalist Muammar Ibrahim, taken by the RSF since the start of the war, underscores the deteriorating conditions of press freedom in Sudan. Since the war erupted in April 2023, CPJ has documented the killings of at least 16 journalists, alongside numerous cases of detention, sexual assault, threats, and attacks targeting members of the media. CPJ calls on the international community to: · Press the RSF to immediately release all abducted journalists and guarantee them immediate and unrestricted access to medical treatment; · Publicly condemn the threats against Darfur 24 and demand that all armed groups respect their obligations under international humanitarian law; · Ensure that attacks against journalists are documented and incorporated into international accountability efforts on Sudan; CPJ contacted the RSF through its website and emailed the Sudan Liberation Movement to request comment but did not receive a response.