KHARTOUM, April 9: Two Sudanese opposition papers said on Saturday they would suspend publication in protest against censorship after security forces confiscated their editions last week.

Sudan's constitution enshrines press freedom but the government uses financial penalties and direct censorship to exert strong control over newspaper reports. Journalists are regularly arrested and harassed.

“While the rest of the region is opening up because of protests, the Sudanese government is going the other way,” said Faiz al-Silaik, an official of daily Ajras al-Huriya.—Reuters