W. Bahr el Ghazal denies arresting journalist

December 12, 2012 (JUBA) – Senior government officials from Western Bahr el Ghazal denied on Wednesday reports claiming that a journalist based in the state had been arrested for visiting people in hospital who had been wounded in protests during a protest in Wau Hospital.

The United Nations have reported the 10 people died in clashes triggered when
police and soliders attempted to dissemble road blocks established in protest against the government’s decision to move the administrative headquarters of Wau County out of Wau town.

South Sudan’s army has denied that anyone has died in the protests.

Multiple sources in Western Bahr el Ghazal told Sudan Tribune on Monday and Tuesday that Achan Madut was arrested on Monday afternoon and held until around 5pm after she visited people wounded during recent protests. Madut, who works for the Catholic Radio Network spoke to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday and described the reports of her arrest as a “misunderstanding”.

However, she would not confirm or deny reports she was “mishandled” by the police and security forces. “Security personnel asked me to identify myself and why I was at the hospital. They also asked me not to take pictures, which I did. This was what happened and I think this is what some people may have heard.”

Western Bahr el Ghazal’s Minister of Information told Sudan Tribune on that “no journalist has been arrested”. Derik Alfred Uya added that Madut had attended press conferences in Wau on Wednesday.

Rizik Dominic Samuel, the state’s security advisor also denied that any journalist had been arrested, as did Justin Saleh, an executive Press Secretary for the state governor said he had no idea about report of the arrest journalist. “All journalists in the state are free. None of them is arrested”, Saleh told Sudan Tribune.

(ST)