The Sudanese Journalists’ Syndicate says Ethiopian authorities have detained journalist Haitham Osman, a member of its council, and two other people in Addis Ababa.
The three were detained on Friday and their whereabouts remain unknown, according to the journalists’ body.
The syndicate said in a statement seen by Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday that Osman and the two others were taken from a street near their home in the Ethiopian capital and taken to an undisclosed location.
It said the authorities had not provided information about the reasons for their detention or where they were being held.
The syndicate expressed concern about their safety and called on the Ethiopian authorities to release them, disclose the reasons for their detention and allow them to communicate with their families and lawyers.
It also called on the Sudanese embassy in Ethiopia to intervene in the case and provide Osman with legal assistance.
Osman is among thousands of Sudanese who have fled the country since the war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces began in April 2023.
The conflict has forced many journalists to leave Sudan and seek safety in neighbouring countries while continuing to report on the war and its impact.
The Sudanese Journalists’ Syndicate appealed to press freedom and human rights organisations, as well as regional and international bodies, to press for the release of Osman and the two others.
The body also referred to Ethiopia’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, particularly Article 19, which protects freedom of opinion and expression.
It also cited Article 29 of Ethiopia’s 1995 constitution, which provides for freedom of expression and freedom of the press.
There was no immediate response from the Ethiopian authorities to the syndicate’s statement.
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