Unknown gunmen kidnap Lol state governor’s cameraman
June 22, 2016 (WAU) – A cameraman working for South Sudan’s Lol state governor, Rizik Zackariah Hassan was kidnapped by unknown gunmen in the capital, Tuesday.
“Our son was just called out from his house at night after six men in numbers surrounded our home and when he come out, they just move out with him without telling us where they are taking our son,” said the relative, who preferred anonymity.
It was not immediately established why he was kidnapped.
James Dimo, the secretary for the state union of journalists confirmed Albino’s kidnap by the unknown armed men.
“This is an attack on the media. Journalists are not part of anything political, we are part of the civil society, we advocate for peace among the society [and] therefore, we should not be victims in any situation,” Dimo said by phone.
“We are also calling on all government security agencies operating in the state to help rescue our journalist from the abductors,” he added.
Landlocked South Sudan has become one of the world’s most dangerous countries to work as a journalist. Last year, for instance, seven journalists were killed and five newspapers forced to close by the country’s authorities.
In the latest World Press Freedom Index, South Sudan dropped 15 places and is now ranked 140 out of 180 compared its ranking of 125 in 2015. The steady decline in the respect for media freedom and the situation has worsened as a result of the civil war.
(ST)