Rights group condemns newspaper suspension

A human rights organisation in Sudan has protested against the government's decision to hand down a one-day suspension on a leading newspaper over an article it published on female circumcision.

In a statement, the Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT) said the decision to suspend publication of the Khartoum-based 'Al Ayam' newspaper had been reached on 24 August by the Sudan National Press Council (NPC). The NPC is a government-run body which monitors the print media in the country.

It accused 'Al Ayam' of "offending public decency" by publishing an article on the widespread practice of female circumcision - also known as female genital mutilation (FGM) - in its medical column which deals with health questions from readers, according to SOAT.

"The action of the NPC demonstrates both the continued restrictions on freedom of expression imposed by the government, and its unwillingness to allow open discussion of personal or medical matters, especially on the issue of female circumcision," SOAT said.

Khartoum is officially opposed to female circumcision and has banned the practice in the country, although regional experts say it is still widespread.

One analyst told IRIN that the "continued harassment" of the press in Sudan was forcing newspapers to practise high levels of self-censorship in order to stay in business.

"The net effect of such harassment is that they all just practise self-censorship so they don't close down the newspapers," he said.