NSS detains 8 journalists for covering press conference by SPLM-IO lawmakers

JUBA – At least eight journalists were briefly detained in Juba on Tuesday by members of the National Security Service (NSS) for turning up to cover a press conference organized by a number of lawmakers mainly from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO).

The journalists, as well as a prominent activist, were invited by 19 opposition members of the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly, to address a number of issues that they wanted bring to the attention of the general public.

These issues include the lack of political will among the parties to the revitalized peace agreement to advance the peace implementation and what the lawmakers have described as ‘inhumane’ conditions that they live under in the capital Juba since the formation of parliament last year.

Chairman of the Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS), Patrick Oyet, said the journalists were detained for about four hours before they were released following an intervention by him and other members of the journalists’ syndicate.

“For us as journalist whenever we are called for any press conference or event we go because our work is basically to cover news,” Oyet told Eye Radio, one of the media houses in South Sudan whose journalist was among those detained.

“I started pleading that one of ladies is supposed to travel outside the country and she is going to miss her flight, and after few minutes indeed the journalists were released. The journalists did not make mistakes,” Oyet added.

Ter Manyang Gatwech, the Executive Director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA) was among those journalists who were arrested and said confirmed that he and the journalists were detained by members of the National Security Service (NSS) for about four hours.

“When the journalists came in plus me, 8 journalists were stopped by the national security and we stay like for one hour in the parliament then we went to Bilpam road for more questions. For me, this is really concern in the country and also we have the constitution that allowed the freedom of express and shirking space in the country is too much as we concerned,” Gatwech said.

“The journalists were just doing their work because without journalist in this country I don’t think the citizens can get the information,” he added.

According to the Media Authority Act of 2018 accredited Journalists, shall have the right to attend briefings, press conference, press releases by the government or public sector organizations and others events organized for the press, and inclusion in official visits by the state and government officials.