Sudan's draconian Cybercrime Law amendments pose grave threat to digital freedoms

Read in Arabic / للقراءة بالعربية

Sudan's military-controlled government must immediately scrap its draconian new amendments to the Cybercrime Law. Approved by the Sudanese Cabinet on 13 October 2025 at the request of Minister of Justice Abdullah Diraf, this draft law is a blatant attempt by the military authorities to silence dissent, criminalize online speech, and shut down the digital public sphere amid ongoing war and armed conflict.

The amendments—passed without transparency or public consultation—weaponize the law against the Sudanese people. They impose staggering financial penalties of up to ten million Sudanese pounds (about 16,700 USD) and prison sentences of up to ten years, specifically targeting social media users and independent journalists. The government can level these charges using dangerously vague definitions like “prestige of the state” and “threatening social peace” to criminalize any criticism.

If enacted, the amended law would fundamentally undermine judicial independence and due process. It compels judges to combine prison sentences and fines for single offenses while granting security forces sweeping powers to conduct warrantless digital searches, device confiscation, and content removal. 

Under the guise of combating rumors and hate speech, the Public Prosecution is now empowered to investigate so-called “information crimes”—a term broad enough to sweep in any online dissent—without requiring a warrant from a judge. This eliminates a fundamental check on power and creates a system designed for unchecked surveillance and the persecution of critics. 

This legislative move is the latest step in a years-long campaign of digital repression. Successive governments have repeatedly amended the Cybercrime Law in 2018, 2020, and 2022, with each revision tightening the grip on Sudan’s digital space. The current draft revives previously rejected measures, accelerating the closure of Sudan's digital civic space.

These amendments violate Sudan’s own 2019 Constitutional Declaration, which guarantees the right to freedom of expression and access to information under Article 57. They also contravene Sudan's international duties under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which protects the right to seek, receive, and impart information. 

While governments have legitimate cybersecurity concerns, any restrictions on fundamental rights must be clearly defined, necessary, and proportionate. Sudan's draft amendments meet none of these criteria. They are part of a wider arsenal of repressive laws, including the 2009 Press and Publications Law and the 2010 National Security Act, which have long been weaponized to prosecute journalists, activists, and human rights defenders.

As the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces has led to a humanitarian catastrophe and institutional collapse, digital platforms have become an essential lifeline for millions of citizens. In this context, protecting free speech is paramount. Any legal changes during war must serve the public good with restraint and build stability on trust and transparency, not on censorship and surveillance.

We echo the grave concerns raised by the Sudanese Union of Journalists Union and local rights defenders, who warn that these amendments will be used to criminalize free speech and intensify the crackdown on digital rights.

Skyline International for Human Rights calls on the Sudanese authorities to:

• Immediately repeal the 2025 draft amendments to the Cybercrime Law.
• Initiate a comprehensive and inclusive review of all legislation restricting freedom of expression, in consultation with civil society, journalists' unions, and legal experts, to ensure full compliance with international human rights standards.
• Respect and uphold their obligations under the Sudanese Constitution and international human rights law, particularly the ICCPR, to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression.