Sudanese Journalists Syndicate Missing Reporters: Urgent Appeal for 5

• The Sudanese Journalists’ Syndicate reports five of its members are victims of enforced disappearance, with their fate and whereabouts unknown for months.
• Journalists Ashraf El Habr, Mustafa Fadl El Mawla, Magdy Youssef El Zein, Mohamed Hussein Shalaby, and Musab El Hadi were forcibly disappeared between November 2024 and October 2025.
• The syndicate views these disappearances as grave violations of human rights and international law, exposing the journalists to severe physical and psychological risks.
• The SJS demands immediate disclosure of their locations, an independent investigation, and their unconditional release or a fair trial with legal representation and family contact.
• International bodies are urged to intervene, pressure conflict parties for accountability, and recognize that targeting journalists undermines press freedom and society's right to information.

Enforced disappearance does not merely erase a person from records; it traps their families and society in a cycle of waiting and fear, with each passing day increasing the responsibility of those who possess information and the power to alleviate this suffering.

The Sudanese Journalists’ Syndicate (SJS) has issued an urgent appeal regarding five of its members who have become victims of enforced disappearance, with their current status and locations remaining entirely unknown. This situation, according to the SJS, represents a profound violation of fundamental human rights, international legal norms, and the journalists' inherent rights to life and personal safety. The syndicate is demanding immediate transparency regarding the fate and whereabouts of these individuals, alongside a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding their disappearances.

Among those reported missing is Ashraf El Habr, who was forcibly disappeared in Omdurman during November 2024. Also unaccounted for is Mustafa Fadl El Mawla, widely known as Abu Gota, who serves as the director-general of the Central Darfur Radio and Television Authority and has been missing since September 25, 2025. The list further includes journalist and photographer Magdy Youssef El Zein, forcibly disappeared in El Fasher in October 2025, and Mohamed Hussein Shalaby, another journalist who also vanished in El Fasher in October 2025. Lastly, journalist Musab El Hadi was forcibly disappeared in October 2025, with no information available about his location.

The SJS has expressed deep concern over the fact that these cases have persisted for many months without any credible information emerging about the five Sudanese Journalists Syndicate missing reporters. This prolonged uncertainty, the syndicate warns, places them at severe risk, jeopardizing both their physical and psychological well-being. The context of a war characterized by widespread violence, the proliferation of hate speech and incitement, and the spread of misinformation further exacerbates the dangers faced by those who have disappeared, fostering an environment where impunity can thrive and further abuses are likely.

From a legal perspective, the Sudanese Journalists’ Syndicate emphasizes that enforced disappearance transcends mere unlawful detention. It constitutes a complex and multifaceted violation that strips individuals of their right to liberty and security, denies their families crucial knowledge about their fate and whereabouts, and effectively places them beyond the protective scope of the law. This grave breach of human rights is particularly alarming in Sudan, where ongoing conflict has led to numerous press freedom violations and raises significant concerns under international law regarding journalists' safety.

The syndicate holds those responsible for these arrests and subsequent enforced disappearances legally accountable, advocating for an immediate end to the prevailing culture of impunity. They insist that journalists are neutral parties in the conflict, and therefore, the act of practicing journalism or expressing an opinion can never justify arrest, disappearance, or retaliatory actions. Such targeting of media professionals not only inflicts harm upon individuals like Ashraf El Habr and his colleagues but also fundamentally undermines society's right to information, erodes press freedom, stifles public discourse, and impedes the pursuit of truth in a conflict already marked by immense human cost and complexity.

In response to these egregious violations, the Sudanese Journalists’ Syndicate has put forth several urgent demands. They call for the immediate and unconditional release of the journalists, unless specific legal charges are brought against them, accompanied by full guarantees of a fair trial. Furthermore, the SJS insists on assurances for their physical and psychological safety, and the right for them to communicate with their families and legal counsel if they are indeed being held. Crucially, the syndicate demands that the families of the missing journalists be allowed to ascertain their relatives' fate and obtain information regarding their locations.

The SJS has also appealed to international bodies, including the United Nations and other regional and international organizations dedicated to human rights and press freedom, to intervene urgently. Their plea is for these entities to exert every effort to establish the fate of the missing reporters, pressure the warring parties to ensure their safety and release, and hold those responsible for abuses accountable. The syndicate specifically urges all parties involved in the conflict to disclose the whereabouts of the disappeared journalists, grant their families access, and uphold their legal and humanitarian obligations for their safety. The SJS concludes with a poignant statement, underscoring that enforced disappearance does not merely erase a person from records; it traps their families and society in a cycle of waiting and fear, with each passing day increasing the responsibility of those who possess information and the power to alleviate this suffering.

Lawyers and compliance officers should note the severe and ongoing human rights violations in Sudan, specifically the enforced disappearance of journalists, as these incidents underscore significant legal and reputational risks for clients operating in the region and highlight potential avenues for international legal advocacy or accountability.

Source: Original reporting via Sudanese Journalists’ Syndicate statement.