ARTICLE 19 joined the Committee to Protect Journalists and partner organisations in calling on Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group to release journalist Muammar Ibrahim, who was detained on 26 October 2025 as he tried to leave war-torn El Fasher. Journalists are civilians and are entitled to protection under international humanitarian law, and the signatories urge all parties to the conflict in Sudan to respect the work of journalists and to refrain from actions that endanger journalists and media workers.
The joint statement follows.
We, the undersigned organizations and journalists, express serious concern regarding the detention of Sudanese journalist Muammar Ibrahim by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Mr. Ibrahim has been held since 26 October, 2025, following his detention in El-Fasher, North Darfur. According to available information, RSF detained Mr. Ibrahim while he was attempting to leave El Fasher amid hostilities. On the day he was detained, a video circulated on social media showing Mr. Ibrahim in the presence of RSF fighters, in which he identifies himself and confirms he has been detained. A subsequent video, released at a later date, shows him speaking while under questioning and stating that he had been transferred to Nyala, South Darfur. These videos constitute the only publicly available information regarding his whereabouts.
We are particularly concerned by the absence of verified information about Mr. Ibrahim’s health, legal status, and conditions of detention. Since his arrest, he has largely been held incommunicado without access to family or legal counsel. Such circumstances raise serious concerns for his safety and well-being.
Journalists are civilians and are entitled to protection under international humanitarian law. Parties exercising control over detainees bear responsibility for ensuring their humane treatment, including safeguarding their physical integrity and providing access to necessary medical care.
In light of these concerns, we urge the RSF to urgently release Mr. Ibrahim and to ensure his safety and physical well-being.
We further urge all parties to the conflict in Sudan to respect the work of journalists and to refrain from actions that endanger journalists and media workers. Safeguarding journalists contributes to transparency, accountability, and the protection of civilians during conflict.
Taking prompt and humane action in this case would help alleviate serious concerns about Mr. Ibrahim’s health and would represent an important step toward reducing harm to journalists operating in Sudan.
Signatories:
1. ActiveWatch
2. Adam Parsons, Sky News
3. Akram Alnajjar, Alash Libyan Media Platform
4. Al Raheel Newspaper
5. AlTaghyeer Newspaper
6. Aljazeera
7. Alex Crawford, Sky News
8. Andrew Gully, The New Humanitarian
9. ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa
10. Avaaz
11. Ayin Network
12. Barbara Plett Usher, BBC News
13. Barnaby Mitchell, Sky News
14. Bethany Rielly, New Internationalist
15. Bloggers Association of Kenya
16. Bloggers of Zambia (BloggersZM)
17. CIVICUS
18. Collectif des familles de disparus en Algerie
19. Constance Daire, Africa Intelligence
20. Dar Media Production
21. Darfur 24
22. Darfur Network for Human Rights
23. Declan Walsh, The New York Times
24. Diana Magnay, Sky News
25. Dominique Van Heerden, Sky News
26. Egyptian Human Rights Forum (EHRF)
27. Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR)
28. Egyptian Observatory for Journalism and Media
29. Eiad Husham, Ayin Network
30. Equipe Media
31. Faisal Ali, Al Jazeera English
32. Faisal Elbagir, Sudans Reporters
33. France 24
34. Free UN Coalition for Access / Inner City Press
35. Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)
36. HAND (Human Rights and Democracy Network)
37. Hiba Morgan, Al Jazeera English
38. Human Rights Foundation
39. HuMENA for Human Rights and Civic Engagement
40. IFEX
41. International Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL)
42. International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), within the framework of the
Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
43. International Press Association of East Africa
44. International Press Institute45. James Matthews, Sky News
46. Journalist for Human Rights (JHR)
47. Jubrakanews Ltd
48. Kenya Human Rights Commission
49. Libya Crimes Watch (LCW)
50. Lindsey Hilsum, Channel 4 News
51. Madania News
52. Mark Stone, Sky News
53. Mashaweer Newspaper
54. Mike Yambo, Nation Media Group
55. MISA Mozambique
56. Moatinoon Newspaper
57. Mohamed Krichen, Aljazeera
58. Mohamed Zakaria, Dar Media Production
59. Nesrine Malik, The Guardian
60. Noé Michalon, Africa Intelligence
61. PAEMA
62. PEN America
63. Reha Kansara, BBC News
64. Reporters Without Borders
65. Samir Kassir Foundation
66. SMEX
67. Sophie Alexander, Sky News
68. Stuart Ramsay, Sky News
69. Sudan News Sweep
70. Sudanese Journalists Syndicate
71. The Darfur Women Journalists Forum
72. The Journalists Sudanese Syndicate
73. The Simon and June Li Center for Global Journalism
74. The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP)
75. Union Burundaise des Journalistes (UBJ)
76. Union of Journalists in Lebanon
77. Woman and Child Issues Radio
78. World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory
for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
79. Yousra Elbagir, Sky News
80. Zambia Free Press Initiative