The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has issued a call for the immediate and unconditional release of Omar Mohamed Omar, a Sudanese freelance journalist who was arrested on July 17. Omar’s arrest came after he criticized the governor of Sudan’s North Kordofan state on Facebook [link](https://cpj.org/2024/07/sudanese-military-arrests-journalist-after-he-criticized-governor-on-water-crisis-sources-say/) in relation to the inadequate services and deteriorating water conditions amid the ongoing civil conflict.
The journalist’s arrest was executed by the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) in North Kordofan, reportedly without any legal justification. This action is seen as a violation of human rights and has drawn condemnation from the Sudanese Journalists Network, which argues that the arrest undermines freedom of speech and violates the right to privacy [link](https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0a3babB8y4e7ozwiWqA3nVn8Hz6F72cXSrtdEW2hRZs9QdqyLGqD1NcrmQ2o1wnAgl&id=100049901515259).
Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war since April 15, 2023, following escalating tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). These two groups, which had initially collaborated in overthrowing Sudan’s civil administration in 2021, have turned against each other in a competition for power [link](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/15/fighting-erupts-in-sudan-following-months-of-simmering-tensions).
The conflict has posed significant challenges for journalists in Sudan, with many being killed, detained, injured, and harassed. CPJ has pointed out that the targeting of journalists during the conflict indicates an effort by the SAF to control war coverage. Since January 2024, three journalists have died [link](https://rsf.org/en/country/sudan), foreign news channels have been banned, and female journalists have reported gender-based violence at the hands of the RSF.
The CPJ’s appeal underscores the heightened risks faced by media professionals in conflict zones and spotlights the broader implications on press freedom amid political turmoil.