Soldiers of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have killed journalist Muawiya Abdel Razek and three of his family members on Tuesday night at their home in the Al-Droshab neighborhood, north of Khartoum Bahri, the Sudanese Journalists’ Syndicate said.
In a statement seen by Radio Tamazuj, the Journalists’ Syndicate mourned journalist Abdel Razek, stating that he was killed by RSF’s gunfire along with three of his family members. The journalists’ body condemned the killing incident, calling on the RSF to immediately investigate this crime and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The Syndicate urged the RSF to cease targeting journalists and civilians and called on human rights organizations and those concerned with the protection of journalists to intervene and pressure to ensure the safety and security of journalists.
Meanwhile, Walid Al-Nur Zakaria, a member of the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, considered the assassination of journalist Abdel Razek a “heinous crime and a gross violation against journalists.”
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Walid called on the Rapid Support Forces to respect freedom of expression and not to attack journalists in their homes and workplaces, and called on all international human rights organizations to condemn the crime committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Separately, the Committee to Protect Journalists urged Sudanese authorities to launch a full investigation into the killing of journalist Abdel Razek, hold those responsible to account, and ensure journalists are not treated as targets in the country’s ongoing civil war.
“We are deeply alarmed by the killing of journalist Muawiya Abdel Razek and three of his family members in his home by armed soldiers of the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces,” said CPJ Program Director Carlos Martínez de la Serna, in New York. “The Sudanese authorities must investigate Razek’s killing and hold those responsible to account. All parties in the ongoing war must respect the rights of journalists as they report on crucial matters of public interest.”
In December 2023, Muawiya Abdel Razek, an investigative journalist who worked with many local newspapers including Al-Jarifa, Akhir Lahza, and Al-Akhbar, was detained by the RSF for three days after he was accused of working with military intelligence.
RSF officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
Since the war between the Sudanese army and the RSF started in mid-April 2023, many journalists have been killed, arrested and assaulted.
and then