Sudanese journalist awarded UNESCO press freedom award

The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate is the latest recipient UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Award in recognition of the role they played in condemning deliberate acts targeting media workers in the conflict.

Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and its former ally, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – which broke out in April 2023 – has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian emergencies and displacement crises.

Courage and dedication

Since then, the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate has done just that documented 32 deaths of journalists, 556 violations against media workers and the closure of a number of newspapers and radio stations“making Sudan one of the most dangerous countries for journalists,” UNESCO said.

Khaled El-Enany, Director General of UNESCO, praised the members for their extraordinary courage and unwavering dedication.

“Despite enormous challenges, they continue, day after day, to provide accurate and lifesaving information to their communities when it matters most,” He said.

“Their commitment is a powerful example for all of us and is an essential service to truth, accountability and peace.”

Safeguarding values, amplifying voices

The announcement was made earlier World Press Freedom Day, celebrated every year on May 3.

For Abdelmoniem Abuedries Ali, chairman of the collective, the award “is not only recognition of the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, but also a tribute to all Sudanese journalists who continue to defend truth and press freedom under extremely difficult and dangerous conditions.”

He added that “it reaffirms the important role of independent journalism in safeguarding democratic values ​​and amplifying the voices of civilians affected by the war.”

Violence in ‘quiet zones’

The conflict has seriously disrupted news gathering and worsened the media landscape in Sudan, UNESCO said.

Journalists are threatened with violence and arrest, 90 percent of the media infrastructure has been destroyedand reporting was hampered by internet and telecommunications outages.

“These conditions effectively turn the country into a ‘zone of silence’ where much of the population exists in an information vacuum,” UNESCO said, while disinformation and propaganda spread widely, fueling hatred and polarization.

The UN agency has supported Sudanese journalists since the war began. His activities include helping to establish the Sudan Media Forum – consisting of more than 20 media outlets – which advocates for press freedom and maintains an international focus on Sudan’s humanitarian crisis.

Safe space and support

UNESCO has also carried out surveys to identify the needs of journalists, leading to the establishment of two safe havens for them in the coastal city of Port Sudan. A number of So far 49 journalists have received direct supportincluding assistance for relocation to safer areas within the country and abroad.

World Press Freedom Day, celebrated annually on May 3, is also an opportunity to assess the state of press freedom, which is diminishing everywhere, not just in Sudan.

Press freedom continues to decline

A recent UNESCO report revealed a 10 percent decline in freedom of expression worldwide since 2012 – a situation comparable to only three other periods, namely the First World War more than a century ago, the beginning of the Second World War, and the Cold War period of the late 1970s.

Globally, self-censorship in the press grew by nearly 70 percent between 2012 and 2025, underscoring that “the most damaging forms of censorship are now internalized.”

Additionally, journalists and others working in the press have faced “various forms of legal harassment” including multimillion-dollar defamation lawsuits, anti-terrorism regulations, and financial laws.

Research by UN Women and other institutions also revealed a spike in online targeting of journalists, especially women.

Despite the setbacks, UNESCO highlighted signs of hope, including increasing recognition of community media 2025 global survey revealed that almost half of the 194 countries studied now have a legal framework.

UNESCO will host the World Press Freedom Conference in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, next week where the body will call on governments and civil society to recommit to supporting independent journalism and the free flow of information.

About awards

UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Award awarded annually to a person, organization or institution that has made an extraordinary contribution to press freedom, and especially in the face of danger.

This award was given in honor of Colombian journalist Guillermo Cano Isaza, who was murdered in front of his newspaper’s offices,El Espectadorin Bogotá, on December 17, 1986.

The award was established in 1997 and the winners are selected by an international independent jury consisting of media professionals.

Previous winners include a Palestinian journalist covering Gaza and Maria Ressa of the Philippines, recipient of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize along with fellow journalist Dmitry Muratov of Russia.