South Sudan arrests two Ugandan journalists

July 29, 2013 (KAMPALA) – South Sudan on Saturday arrested two Ugandan journalists in Juba for allegedly working without accreditation and filming near a government and security installation.

The journalists, Justin Dralaze and Hilary Ayesiga, are said to have been arrested while filming along Airport Road and are reportedly being detained at the National Security headquarters.

A spokesman for the Ugandan army, Paddy Ankunda, was quoted in the Monday edition of Uganda’s Daily Monitor newspaper saying that he was aware of the arrest and that the matter is being handled by Uganda’s foreign affairs ministry.

Meanwhile, the Uganda Journalists Union (UJU) has condemned the arrests, calling for the “unconditional and immediate” release of the journalists or allowing them to face court if South Sudan authorities deem them to have committed an offence.

“We condemn in the strongest terms possible the arrest and detention of the journalists in a military establishment, moreover incommunicado”, said UJU president Lucy Anyango Ekadu.

Last week, Uganda deported US journalist Taylor Krauss, accusing him of working “illegally” in the country.

(ST)