Media: The Interim National Constitution ensures freedom of thought, expression and the press, but in reality these rights are not upheld. In general, media censorship has been considered to be weaker than in many Arab states. However, press censorship was re-implemented in 2008, sometimes resulting in censors cutting so much material out that the papers could not be published. In practice, the government controls national radio and television, which are required to reflect government policies in their broadcasting. In the North, press freedom deteriorated following the April 2010 elections. According to Freedom House 2011, between May and August 2010, newspaper editors were forced to submit their articles to the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) for approval. As a result, some papers have had their editions cancelled, one newspaper was closed, and three editors were given prison sentences. In the South, press freedom is generally perceived to be more free compared to the North. However, journalists deemed unfriendly to the South’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) face harassment and sometimes arrest. According to another Freedom House 2011 report, during the run-up to the January 2011 referendum, there were reports of journalists facing pressure from the SPLM members, where the latter attempted to stop journalists from reporting cases of ethnic violence and corruption scandals involving government officials. Defamation is a criminal offence in both Northern and Southern Sudan. So far, there is no freedom of information law in Sudan, and therefore access to public information is difficult. Reporters Without Borders 2011-2012 ranks Sudan 170th out of 179 countries, while ranking South Sudan 111th out of 179 countries. Freedom House's Freedom of the Press Index 2011 ranks the country 169th out of 196 countries and describes its media environment as 'not free'.

Civil Society: In Sudan civil society groups do not have much room to operate. The government is distrustful of civil society groups as it fears that they might give rise to a stronger opposition. Nevertheless, according to the Bertelsmann Foundation 2010, civil society groups have grown and enjoy a greater freedom of association. Since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, the government has alleviated restrictions, and a number of new CSOs have emerged. The National Congress Party (NCP) tries to stop particular CSOs such as human rights groups from gaining influence, or from becoming potential threats to its dominance, while at the same time the NCP introduces Islamist associations in the attempt to create an Islamic civil society. According to Freedom House 2011, conditions for NGOs remained difficult in 2010, especially in Darfur. Over the year, there have been cases of foreign civil society activists being kidnapped in Darfur, according to the same report.