(Left): Mabior Cirilo, a practicing journalist, Suzan Gabriel, a senior news editor at Al-Watan Arabic daily newspaper and Advocate Philip Anyang (right) speak on Eye Radio's Dawn Show. November 1, 2024. (Photo: Awan Moses).

Some media practitioners are calling on the transitional government to hold accountable security personnel who harass, arrest and arbitrary detain journalists in the country.

The journalists said some of their colleagues often face intimidation and their gadgets are confiscated by security personnel for no genuine reason. They urge an end to impunity for crimes against journalists in the country.

Suzan Gabriel, the Acting Head of News at EBC Radio, said journalists often fear to report about such stories due to fear of arrest and detention.

“I recommend that the government to addresses the issue of impunity for crimes against journalists, those committing crimes against journalists should held accountable,” Suzan said on Eye Radio’s Dawn Show.

She said the failure to punish perpetrators has made journalists fear doing their work because “they will feel if any crime committed against them, nobody will follow it up to the end.”

“There is need for punitive measures to be taken against those arresting or harassing journalists without any genuine reason. If they are held accountable, it will mean democracy, and if there is no end to impunity for crimes against journalists, there will be no democracy.”

Mabior Cirilo, a practicing journalist since 2003 and currently a reporter for Al-Arabia and Al-Hadath televisions, emphasized the need for free press as the bedrock of democracy in the country.

“One of the instruments of democracy is free press, allowing the press to cover events freely without hindrance. Sometimes investigative journalists who by law should obtain information from individuals or institutions do not get them.”

“There are so many people who commit crimes against journalists in the country, and go with impunity. So we need to strengthen our laws because a security personnel can now arrest you without warrant and this should be addressed because it is one of the challenges facing journalists and it is against human rights.”

On his part, Advocate and Commissioner of Oaths Philip Anyang, said security agencies should safeguard media space, adding that the media space itself should protect its actors, agents and professionals.

“Start with protecting yourself. If you don’t know how to work in that space of being a journalist itself, then you have a problem. So, if a journalist can be well trained to work and conduct the affairs professionally, that itself is a protection.”

“If the institutions in question can freely engaged with journalists and open that space to work together, that can protect journalists. The biggest part is that people being able to know that this is what a journalist is supposed to do, these are the limits that a security agency should not reach.”

“A journalist is not just a walking person. This is a trained professional that is supposed to work in that space. Security agencies should safeguarded the media space, and the media space itself should be able to protect its actors, agents and professionals.”

The media workers expressed their views as South Sudan awaits the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on November 2.

It is a UN-recognized international day observed annually to draw attention to the level of impunity for crimes against journalists, which remains extremely high globally.

Freedom of the press in South Sudan is extremely precarious and journalists work under constant threat and intimidation, and where censorship is ever-present, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF).