Set the messenger free and end the censorship in Darfur

In the face of a unspeakably and worsening catastrophe n Darfur, the government of Sudan continues to arbitrary violate human rights with impunity and systematically subjects journalists to censorship.
Journalists continue to be subjected to verbal and physical harassment by security forces and other armed groups. Foreign journalists are allowed access to cover events in war-torn Darfur under strict restriction, while local journalists are prohibited from reporting independently on the crisis in Darfur.

The government-via the National Security Office-continues to engage in prepublication censorship, confiscate and ban publications, and arbitrarily detain journalists who openly criticizes its policies in Darfur.

The decision by the government of Sudan to bare the UN coordinator for humanitarian Affairs Sir. John Holmes and the subsequent harassment of a UN journalist is a blatant violation of press freedom.

Journalists are subjected to strict visa rules and are often denied the relevant work permits. Only to be subjected to under cover surveillance by members of the National Security office. This has forced most journalists to practice self censorship and desist from freely disparaging the authorities.

If you sign this petition we hope your voice will be hard by the authorities in Sudan and your government will pressure the government of Sudan (GoS) to respect press freedom and allow journalists to freely access the war-torn Darfur region.

We also hope that the government of Sudan will remove all restrictions imposed on journalists seeking to report on the events in Darfur and will comply with all its international obligations including the guaranteeing the protection and promotion of human rights for all civilians in the war-torn Darfur.