Geneva, 3 October 2025
Within the framework of its participation in the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Union of Sudanese Human Rights Organizations co-organized a high-
level international event at the Palais des Nations in Geneva under the title “Journalists and the Right to Information During Armed Conflicts.” The event brought together a wide range
of international human rights experts, government delegations, official missions in Geneva, as well as prominent journalists, media professionals, and leaders of international and African
human rights organizations.
During the panel, participants reviewed the painful reality faced by journalists worldwide amid wars and armed conflicts, particularly in the Middle East, which continues to witness
widespread violence and instability. Speakers highlighted the violations and abuses endured by journalists and media workers as a result of their reporting in conflict zones, including the failure of states to provide necessary protection, to guarantee their safety, and to secure their
right to access information and deliver truthful reporting to the public. International experts presented working papers that shed light on the tragic situation faced by
journalists in countries suffering from conflict. Particular attention was given to Palestine, where shocking violations against journalists and media professionals have claimed many
lives, as well as other countries such as Yemen, Libya, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and several states across Africa and Asia. The discussions also reviewed the international legal
frameworks that guarantee the right to information during armed conflict and reaffirmed the obligation of states to protect journalists, ensure their security, and criminalize any assault,
intimidation, or obstruction of their work.
The Union of Sudanese Human Rights Organizations presented papers exposing the dire human rights situation in Sudan and documenting the grave violations and crimes committed
by the Sudanese Armed Forces against civilians. The Union called for strengthening international efforts to provide protection and for activating international criminal
accountability against those responsible for such crimes. A dedicated paper addressed the situation of journalists and media workers in Sudan, detailing the full range of violations
committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces. It denounced the repressive measures and unjust laws imposed by the Port Sudan military government aimed at undermining the right to
information, obstructing the work of journalists, and subjecting them to some of the most egregious abuses, including extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests, enforced
disappearances, torture, intimidation, and threats. The Union urged the international community to act immediately to protect the right to information in Sudan, stop policies and
practices aimed at suppressing press freedom, and ensure the security and safety of journalists. It further called on the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan to expand its
investigations to include the grave violations faced by journalists and media professionals.
The event drew wide attention, particularly from journalists and media representatives, underscoring the global scale of violations targeting the press. Participants emphasized the
urgent need for greater international attention, especially from the United Nations and relevant international mechanisms, to safeguard journalists and defend the right to
information worldwide. The Union urged the Human Rights Council to open a public debate on the global crisis of journalism and information rights and to reinforce international
mechanisms dedicated to protecting journalists and media freedom.
