South Sudan advocacy group calls for release of detained journalist
May 2, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese media and advocacy group has launched an appeal calling on President Salva Kiir’s government to release a detained South Sudanese journalist who has been in detention for more than a year without charge and trial before the court of law.
He has not been charged and never taken to court since he was arrested. Family members including his father say they have been denied access to him.
The call by the rights advocacy group comes as the group in the country prepares to take part in the world press freedom day after formation of the transitional government of national unity by the former warring parties led by President Salva Kiir and opposition leader, Riek Machar.
“We are saying that peace has come and all those who were arrested in connection to opinions related to the conflict or suspected of connection to the conflict should now be released as part of reconciliation process. Dr. Riek Machar has come and he is now the first vice president. This means that the country is embarking on a new era, an era of peace, love, healing and forgiveness,” said Samuel Deng, a South Sudanese student of journalism at Nkumba University in Kampala, Uganda.
Deng said authorities should immediately cease detaining and harassing journalists, and allow them to do their jobs, including allowing them to cover events and any public matters without making their jobs becoming difficult.
“The new unity government should now appear determined to prevent targeted arrests of reporters and any mention of the state of the dysfunctional institutions and performance of the government. Rather than learning from the past mistake and see how to fix them, the current government should try its best to break the past and ensure reporters can do their jobs safely and without fear of reprisal,” he said.
He said it was time to release the journalist who has been under detention for more than year without charge and trial before the competent court of law in the country.
“The arrest of comrade George is unwarranted. It is against the provision of the constitution. Our constitution does not allow the arrest of the suspect for more than 24 hours in detention. If the authorities have a case against George, they should take him to court. If they have no case, they should release him immediately. He is a family man. He has wife and children to look after,” he lamented.
The head of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) also issued a statement calling for the release of Bahara from prison before journalists come together on Tuesday to participate in the marking of the World Press Freedom Day on 3 May.
“The transitional government of national unity has primary obligation to ensure that the press in South Sudan is free from unlawful acts, harassment, intimidation, kidnapping, and closure of media houses,” said Edmund Yakani, executive director for Community Empower and Progress organization.
Yakani said his organization was now calling on the unity government to unconditionally free the long detained journalist on the world press day as a symbol of marking the day, also as symbol of championing forgiveness and reconciliation among the South Sudanese.
The activist pointed out that restricting the press offers enemies of peace a greater chance to manipulate public opinion for their advantage.
The rights officials also pointed to his organization’s documented eighteen incidents of harassment or violence against journalists and media from January to April of 2016.
(ST)