Sudan may not have "pulled a Mubarak" and shut off the Internet, but that hasn't stopped the government's attempts to silence vocal citizens online. Four days after we first reported his arrest, Usamah Mohammed Ali (better known as @simsimt) remains in detention, his whereabouts unknown, while Maha El-Sanosi was released over the weekend only to be arrested again today.

Last year, following the protests in Tunisia and Egypt that ousted Presidents Ben Ali and Mubarak, respectively, Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) stated that it had created a "cyber jihad unit" to "crush online dissent." Activists familiar with the unit believe that the government is now targeting bloggers and activists with the ability to reach an international audience, in an effort to ward off media attention. Although telecommunications have not been cut, some Sudanese Internet users have reported decreased upload speeds.

EFF condemns the Sudanese government's attempts to stifle dissent and demands the immediate release of Usamah Mohammed Ali and Maha El-Sanosi. We will continue to provide updates on the situation in Sudan.