TIME Magazine Names Sudanese Journalist Amal Habbani Amongst 2018 ‘Person of the Year’

Amal Habbani; Photograph by Moises Saman—Magnum Photos for TIME Magazine © TIME

TIME Magazine has named Sudanese journalist Amal Habbani in its 2018 ‘Person of the Year’ amongst several journalists who have been targeted for their work.

TIME Magazine revealed its ‘2018 Person of the Year‘ on 11 December 2018 with covers featuring several journalists who have either been imprisoned or killed for their work under the title, ‘The Guardians and the War on Truth’. The four covers featured Philippines-based editor Maria Ressa; jailed Burmese journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo; staff members of the Capital Gazette; and Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed in October at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. 

The Guardians—Jamal Khashoggi, the Capital Gazette, Maria Ressa, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo—are TIME’s Person of the Year 2018 #TIMEPOY https://t.co/HvoEaW5oUi pic.twitter.com/9Mr0wBTmvj

— TIME (@TIME) December 11, 2018

In addition to Khashoggi and other ‘guardians’, TIME’s ‘2018 Person of the Year’ also highlights other journalists such as Habbani; Bangladeshi photographer, Shahidul Alam; Brazilian reporter, Patricia Campos Mello; and the Asia news editor for the Financial Times, Victor Mallet.

In reference to Habbani, TIME Magazine said:

‘In Sudan, freelance journalist Amal Habani was arrested while covering economic protests, detained for 34 days and beaten with electric rods.’

Sudanese journalist Amal Habbani is featured as part of @TIME‘s 2018 Person of the Year. @pressfreedom recently awarded her at the 2018 #IPFA.

“Freedom of expression is like a jungle now,” said Habbani. “You’re not a citizen. You are nothing.” #TIMEPOY https://t.co/SVoyrGkfgD

— CPJ MENA (@CPJMENA) 11 December 2018

Habbani is a freelance journalist, contributor to the Sudanese news outlet, Al-Taghyeer, and the co-founder of the Sudanese Journalists Network in Khartoum. She began her journalism career in Sudan in 2008; and throughout her career, Habbani has been repeatedly harassed and detained by Sudanese authorities due to her coverage of protests and police brutality in Sudan. She has been detained at least 15 times throughout her career.

Freedom of Expression!
CPJ’s 2018 #IPFA honoree Amal Khalifa Idris Habbani is a freelance journalist. She has worked in #Sudan since she began her career in 2008 and is the co-founder of the local independent #pressfreedom group @SJNET RT @pressfreedom pic.twitter.com/reSXIzdA3I

— Gianluca Costantini (@channeldraw) 18 November 2018

Most recently, Habbani was arrested in January 2018 while covering anti-inflation protests in Khartoum. She was held for 34 days, suffering from serious injuries in custody after being beaten with electric sticks. A fine for was demanded for her release, which she refused to pay; however, a crowdfunding campaign raised the funds for her release.

Amal Habbani, WHRD and journalist, winner of Ginetta Sagan 2014 award, detained since 17 Jan 2018 #FreeSudan2018Detainees #Sudan pic.twitter.com/CQoHGK5dqY

— ريم – Reem Abbas (@ReemWrites) 15 February 2018

Sudanese journalists Ahmed Jadein, Amal Habbani and Kamal Karrar remain in detention after being arrested by authorities in January 2018 while covering ant-austerity protests in Khartoum, says @SJNET @pressfreedom @RSF_inter @hrw @amnesty https://t.co/0sH4pYV3lK

— Isma’il Kushkush (@ikushkush) 4 February 2018

Habbani is also a human rights defender and coordinator of the No Oppression Against Women Initiative in Sudan. She also played a vital role bringing justice to Noura Hussein who was sentenced to death by hanging on 10 May 2018 for killing her husband after he raped her. Due to the worldwide outrage over Hussein’s case, the Sudanese court of appeal has repealed the death penalty against Hussein. Instead, she will serve five years in prison from the date of her arrest and is required to pay of 337,500 Sudanese Pounds (USD8,400) in dia or blood money. 

In addition to being recognised in TIME’s ‘2018 Person of the Year’, Habbani was also recently awarded the 2018 International Press Freedom Award by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an independent, nonprofit organisation that promotes press freedom worldwide and defends the right of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal. She received the award on 20 November 2018 in New York and delivered an acceptance speech, highlighting government corruption, police brutality and the lack of freedom of speech in Sudan.

2018 has been a notable year for Habbani; however, she has long been an internationally recognised award-winner for her courageous work as a journalist and human rights defender. In 2014, Amnesty International USA awarded Habbani with the 2014 Ginetta Sagan Award, which is given annually to honour courageous women around the world who put their lives at risk to stand up for the rights of women and children who face human rights violations.