Alfred Taban
Encyclopedia
Alfred Taban Logune is a Sudan
ese broadcast journalist. He is currently working as the BBC
's correspondent in Khartoum
. He is the managing editor of the Khartoum Monitor
, the only independent English-language newspaper in Sudan.
Having trained as a laboratory technician, Taban embarked on a career in journalism, a vocation that in Sudan is subject to constant government intimidation. He was detained by the authorities for 5 days in April 2001 while covering a news conference by church leaders in Khartoum, who were protesting against the cancellation of a service and the arrest of up to one hundred Christians. On another occasion, the Sudanese police forced Taban to stand for twelve hours chanting "I am a liar, I am a liar".
In July 2005, Speaker
of the British House of Commons
Michael Martin
presented the Speaker Abbot award to Alfred Taban, in recognition of his work exposing the slaughter in Darfur
. This award is awarded to the journalist who has made the greatest contribution internationally to the "protection, promotion and perpetuation of parliamentary democracy". In 2006, Taban was one of three recipients to be presented with the National Endowment for Democracy
award by US President George W. Bush
.
On 30 October 2006, Taban was summoned and stated that he was liable for the content of a newspaper article dated 14 September 2006, which claimed that foreign minister, state minister for foreign affairs and the director of information and public relations, Lam Akol
, are mouthpieces and perpetrators of genocide
as well as Islam
ic extremists etc. It was argued that the article was general criticism and personal opinion of its author. The committee made, concerning this article, the following decision: The article contained inappropriate phrases and was published by a political newspaper read by broad sectors of society, and it also contained clear violations of legal determinants as well as exceeding the proper bounds of public criticism given that the present time requires selectivity with respect to topics and phrases. In addition to the published reprimand a penalty was imposed.
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
ese broadcast journalist. He is currently working as the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's correspondent in Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
. He is the managing editor of the Khartoum Monitor
Khartoum Monitor
Khartoum Monitor is the only private English language newspaper in Sudan.It was established by journalists from southern sudan in 2000.The newspaper is known for its independent news and editorial policy and its refusal to accept the censorship policy of the Sudan government in particular...
, the only independent English-language newspaper in Sudan.
Having trained as a laboratory technician, Taban embarked on a career in journalism, a vocation that in Sudan is subject to constant government intimidation. He was detained by the authorities for 5 days in April 2001 while covering a news conference by church leaders in Khartoum, who were protesting against the cancellation of a service and the arrest of up to one hundred Christians. On another occasion, the Sudanese police forced Taban to stand for twelve hours chanting "I am a liar, I am a liar".
In July 2005, Speaker
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
of the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
Michael Martin
Michael Martin (politician)
Michael John Martin, Baron Martin of Springburn, PC is a British politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Glasgow Springburn from 1979 to 2005, and then for Glasgow North East until 2009...
presented the Speaker Abbot award to Alfred Taban, in recognition of his work exposing the slaughter in Darfur
Darfur conflict
The Darfur Conflict was a guerrilla conflict or civil war centered on the Darfur region of Sudan. It began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army and Justice and Equality Movement groups in Darfur took up arms, accusing the Sudanese government of oppressing non-Arab Sudanese in...
. This award is awarded to the journalist who has made the greatest contribution internationally to the "protection, promotion and perpetuation of parliamentary democracy". In 2006, Taban was one of three recipients to be presented with the National Endowment for Democracy
National Endowment for Democracy
The National Endowment for Democracy, or NED, is a U.S. non-profit organization that was founded in 1983 to promote US-friendly democracy by providing cash grants funded primarily through an annual allocation from the U.S. Congress...
award by US President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
.
On 30 October 2006, Taban was summoned and stated that he was liable for the content of a newspaper article dated 14 September 2006, which claimed that foreign minister, state minister for foreign affairs and the director of information and public relations, Lam Akol
Lam Akol
Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin is a South Sudanese politician of Kenyan descent. He is the current leader of SPLM for Democratic Change , which he founded 6 June 2009...
, are mouthpieces and perpetrators of genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
as well as Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic extremists etc. It was argued that the article was general criticism and personal opinion of its author. The committee made, concerning this article, the following decision: The article contained inappropriate phrases and was published by a political newspaper read by broad sectors of society, and it also contained clear violations of legal determinants as well as exceeding the proper bounds of public criticism given that the present time requires selectivity with respect to topics and phrases. In addition to the published reprimand a penalty was imposed.