Human rights group Amnesty International has called on the government of South Sudan to respect and protect the right to freedom of expression and media freedom in the country.
On Thursday, two female journalists told Eye Radio that they were physically attacked by the SPPDF’s Media and Public Relations Director.
The SSPDF had invited the press to cover the annual Military Command Council meeting attended by President Salva Kiir at Bilpam in Juba.
About five journalists were told to set up their recorders at the conference hall when General Malaak Ayuen rudely asked them to leave.
He reportedly hit the two female journalists on the back while pushing them towards the back of the conference hall.
But Gen. Ayuen, who himself is army journalists who present a history show on the state-run SSBC television, further used a camera tripod to hit the female reporters on the legs.
The journalists were eventually forced to move to the corner of the room where the recording of the speech of the President was poor.
The incident happened in the presence of the army spokesperson.
Reacting to the Eye Radio report, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes, Seif Magango described the incident as “shocking”.
“This shocking incident is part of a sustained effort by the South Sudanese authorities for years now to restrict the right to freedom of expression and media freedom including through arbitrary arrests of journalists, suspension of media organizations and the revocation of accreditation for foreign correspondents deemed critical of the government,” Magango said in a statement.
“The authorities’ suppression of the right to freedom of expression and media freedom ahead of the formation of the long-awaited transitional government of national unity is deeply troubling.
“The Government of South Sudan must respect, protect, promote and fulfil the right to freedom of expression and media freedom in the country.”
At the end of October, the South Sudanese authorities also confiscated the accreditation and work permit of Associated Press’ correspondent, Sam Mednick.
According to this year’s World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, South Sudan ranked 139th out of 180 countries.