16 Jan 2022; MEMO: Sudanese authorities have revoked the license of the Doha-based Al Jazeera Mubasher TV, citing "unprofessional coverage" of developments in Sudan.
The Information Ministry said in a letter to the director of Al Jazeera television in Sudan on Saturday that the move was taken due to the channel's "unprofessional approach" and broadcast of media content that "harmed the country's higher interests and national security".
This is the second time for the Sudanese authorities to close Al Jazeera office in Sudan.
In a statement, Al Jazeera condemned the act, calling it an "interference with its duty to convey fair and objective coverage" of events in the country. The media network views this as an attack on press freedoms and an infringement of journalists' safety. The statement added:
"The Ministry of Culture and Information revoked the accreditation of Al Jazeera Mubasher's journalist, Mohammed Omar, and photographer, Badawi Bashir, under the basis of "the un-professional coverage of the Sudanese affairs" and the reporting of "incorrect information that damages the country's interest and social fabric".
Al Jazeera condemns the interference with its duty to convey fair and objective coverage of events in the country and to allow its journalists to operate unhindered and to practice their profession."
In May 2019, the office of the Doha-based television was shut down by Sudanese authorities, which reversed its decision two months later.
Sudan has been in turmoil since October 25 when the military dismissed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's transitional government and declared a state of emergency.
Prior to the military takeover, Sudan was governed by a sovereign council of military and civilian officials tasked with overseeing the transition period until elections in 2023.
