Security detains two journalists in Unity state

July 25, 2013 (JUBA) – Sudan Tribune correspondent Bonifacio Taban, along with Internews reporter Simon Lieth Nyak, were detained on Thursday by Unity state security personnel, while covering community reaction to a presidential decree dissolving the entire government.

The two journalists said they were pulled aside by security agents in the Unity state capital Bentiu during an address by the caretaker governor to a traditional group of men and women from Guit county, who had come to meet the new governor for the first time and slaughter a bull in his honour.

“We were covering people’s reactions about the recent dissolution of [the] whole government cabinet ministers and [the] relieving of South Sudan vice-president Riek Machar, but it was unfortunate that we end up being detained by security of the governor before we could get the people’s voices”, said Taban.

The pair were released four hours later without charge.

Taban says his latest arrest is the fourth time he has experienced threats and intimidation by security agents while working in Unity state.

During the 2010 general elections, he was detained by security personnel for 13 days while covering a deadly protest in the state capital, Bentiu.

“It is [the] wrong concept from government security personal to look at journalists as an enemy, while their roles are to disseminate and to inform [the] civil population of what is taking place around them”, said Taban.

Nyak who is based in Unity state, also condemned the ill-treatment of journalists in the state.

“What the security organ are doing in Unity state is really intimidation, because they don’t value other private media, which is against the press freedom”, said Nyak.

Nyak says under the law journalists fall under one umbrella whether they work in private or government media.

However, he said authorities in Unity state continue to favour the state-run mouth piece, Bentiu FM 99 and do not respect or recognise private media houses.

He said the current situation has posed an increasing threat to journalists working for private media.

The two journalists were set free on Wednesday after an investigation by James Watt Pouch, who is responsible for the Community Investigation Department (CID).

The CID officer in charge told reporters that they were not guilty of any crime.

Some local officials told Sudan Tribune under the cover of anonymity that local authorities in the Unity state have decided to censor the coverage of reactions to the removal of the vice president, allegedly to avoid troubles.

Media advocates say journalists in South Sudan seen to be speaking critically of the government are increasingly at risk of threats and intimidation tactics by security personnel.

In the latest annual press freedom index published by Reporters Without Borders (RWB) in January, South Sudan slipped 12 places, leaving it at 124th out of the 180 countries ranked.

Following publication of the 2013 index, RWB told Al Jazeera that the young nation’s press freedom issues are due to the attitude and bad habits of many members of the government and security services and can be partly attributed to the experience of being ruled by the Khartoum government.

(ST)