Elijah Alier, Managing Director - Media Authority speaks during Press Freedom Day in May 2019 in Juba - Photo by Joakino Francis/Eye Radio

All government institutions, development and humanitarian agencies should grant journalists access to vital information to benefit the public, the South Sudan Media Authority has stated.

Experts say denying journalists access to information and attacks against media are attacks against democracy and everyone’s freedoms.

They say without free press, corruption, human rights abuses, and repression can more easily flourish in South Sudan.

The Managing Director of the Media Authority, Elijah Alier agrees that media freedom is essential for peace, democracy and development in South Sudan.

He told Eye Radio called on all public institutions, including humanitarian and development organizations to support journalists so that they, in turn, empower the public.

“All levels of government, UNMISS and humanitarian organizations operating in South Sudan are hereby urged to allow unhindered access to journalists to obtain information deemed to be in the public interest,” Alier stressed.

Alier says there are 163 media houses officially registered in South Sudan.

He added that over 800 freelance journalists have been cleared and issued accreditation since 2017.

But 20 foreign journalists were denied or had their press accreditation card revoked due to what the media authority termed as “misinformation.”

Advocates insist that democracy requires citizens to be informed and that the job of a free press is to build a robust civil society.