Sudanese journalist blocked by UK visa refusal, unable to attend award ceremony

Sudanese journalist Muhammed Emin's visa application to attend an award ceremony in London was rejected by British authorities. Emin called the decision discriminatory and a double standard.

Sudanese independent journalist Muhammed Emin was unable to attend an award ceremony in London after the United Kingdom rejected his visa application. Emin accused British authorities of discrimination and indirect censorship.

Emin, who reports from Sudan for Middle East Eye, was named Journalist of the Year at the One World Media 2026 awards for his field reporting on the war in the country. However, his visa application for an eight-day visit was rejected by the UK Home Office, forcing him to accept the award via video message.

The UK's reason for refusal

In its refusal decision, the Home Office stated it was "not satisfied" that Emin intended to enter the country for a purpose consistent with visitor visa conditions and expressed doubts that he would leave the UK after his visit.

Despite his travel expenses being fully covered by the media organization he works for and having received an official invitation from the institution organizing the ceremony, it was announced that the decision is not subject to administrative appeal or judicial review.

Double standard criticism

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Emin said the refusal angered him but did not completely surprise him. Noting that the Home Office's reasoning contained an implicit assumption that he might claim asylum, Emin described this as discriminatory treatment toward journalists from Africa and Global South countries.

He assessed as a "political and moral scandal" the fact that the UK hosts political and humanitarian conferences to discuss the Sudan crisis while denying Sudanese journalists access to these international platforms.

Comparison with previous experience

Emin recalled that in 2022 he obtained a visa to the UK in just three days to receive the Martin Adler prize for an investigative report on violations by the Russian mercenary group Wagner in Sudan and the Central African Republic.

He linked the change in attitude this time to the content of the reporting that won him the Journalist of the Year award, which focused on Sudanese resistance against the Rapid Support Forces. Emin argued that the decision reflects "double standards and an attempt to silence certain voices."

Drew attention to the humanitarian situation in Sudan

Addressing the humanitarian situation in his country, Emin stated that the war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan has led to widespread violations, some reaching the level of genocide. He stressed that the Sudan crisis deserves international attention equivalent to other humanitarian crises, including Israel's genocide in Gaza.

Expressing that growing international solidarity campaigns could pressure governments supporting the warring parties, Emin said Sudanese people are not a burden and that individual actions cannot be used as justification to punish an entire population. He called on the UK government to review its visa policies, especially for journalists and professionals from conflict zones.

The ongoing war in Sudan

War has been ongoing in Sudan since April 15, 2023, between the army and the Rapid Support Forces. According to UN and international estimates, the conflict has caused tens of thousands of deaths and displaced approximately 13 million people internally and externally. In recent months, the Sudanese army has regained control over large parts of Khartoum state, while the Rapid Support Forces maintain a presence in the Darfur region and some areas in the west.