Press freedom is under pressure in South Sudan, the US ambassador to South Sudan has said.

Mary Catherine Phee says the international community included the freedom of the press and expression in international covenants on civil and political rights in the 1960s.

But South Sudan just included them in its transitional constitution four years ago.

Ms Phee says South Sudan has had little time to practice and experience the freedom of the press and expression.

She says the conflict, which began in December 2013, has worsened the situation.

Ms Phee spoke at the launch of a radio laboratory and a two-year diploma course at the University of Juba.

“The respect for the independence of journalists and for their freedom and safety is not always present. Journalists are often interrogated, detained unlawfully, and threatened with expulsion or worse,” she stated.

“The government periodically confiscates newspapers and temporarily closes down publishing houses and radio stations.”

The diplomat said this has made journalists practice self-censorship in an attempt to protect themselves.

“So, it seems that the freedom of the press and the freedom of expression have become casualties of the bitter conflict that has been fought in South Sudan since December 2013.”

The radio lab and the diploma course are a joint project with the international media organization, Internews, and the University of Rhodes in South Africa.

At the launch, the vice chancellor of the University of Juba, Professor John Akech, said the project will educate students and benefit the communities.