The African country temporarily suspended two of its biggest newspapers to punish them for writing about army operations against rebels and the future plans of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, editors said on Saturday.
Sudan clamped down on independent media, think-tanks and non-governmental groups since it discovered plans for a coup against Bashir's government in November.
Al-Intibaha, Sudan's biggest daily – owned by an uncle of Bashir – said the security services had ordered it to stop publishing for one week because it published a report about the army's fight in South Kordofan, home to a rebellion against the government.
"A security officer called us yesterday without giving a reason," said editor Sadiq al-Rizigi.
Al-Majhar al-Siyassi, Sudan's second-biggest daily by circulation, said it had been ordered to halt publication for three days after it criticised calls from some officials urging Bashir, in power since 1989, to seek reelection in 2015.
Complaints of frequent restrictions
"Our chairman also wrote an article in which he criticised the performance of the defence minister in South Kordofan state," said its editor Salah Habib.
Sudanese journalists complain of frequent restrictions, even though censorship was officially abolished in the country in 2009.
The security service often bans distribution of entire editions to inflict financial losses on newspapers as punishment for critical coverage, journalists said.
The security service was not available to comment. – Reuters