Amal Abbas, Sudan

In February 2001 she was sentenced to three months in prison and given a fine of 15 million Sudanese pounds (approximately $6,000) because she published an article alleging that local authorities in Khartoum had squandered public funds. This time she spent 17 days in Omdurman Women's Prison. She was released pending a decision on her appeal.

Al-Rai Al-Akher also faces frequent suspensions by the government's National Press Council. Between May and September of 1999 alone, the paper received seven suspensions, with the result that it was not published on 72 days. Al-Rai Al-Akher, like all other newspapers in Sudan, is under daily scrutiny from government security police.