Amnesty tells Sudan to end crackdown on protesters and journalists

Khartoum, 24 Jun – (ANA) - The Sudanese authorities must end its ruthless crackdown on protests and stop the harassment of journalists covering demonstrations, Amnesty International has said after riot police in Khartoum used tear gas and batons to break up demonstrations over austerity cuts. Scores of activists have been arrested since the demonstrations started on Sunday. The police also temporarily detained bloggers and journalists in an attempt to stifle reporting on the protest movement. “The Sudanese government is showing zero tolerance for demonstrations and continues to deny the Sudanese people its right to peaceful assembly”, said Paule Rigaud, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Africa. (ANA)