A billboard bearing a message titled: "Promote Freedom of Expression and Human Rights in South Sudan without censorship." erected by Association for Media Development in South Sudan on a road leading to the Malakia Police Station toward UAP Tower in Juba - credit | AMDISS | Juma

A human rights advocate on Thursday called on the transitional government to lift restrictions on freedom of assembly and that of opinions as the country gears towards the first-ever elections in December 2024.

Omara Joseph Wani, Acting Protection and Advocacy Manager at the South Sudan Human Rights Defenders Network – said civic space is paramount for free and fair elections in the country.

“Civic space is actually a yardstick for us to determine where our country is going. Of course, if we don’t have enough civic space in this country, then we don’t expect that there will be a good election, and we always believe that a bad election is always a recipe for violence,” he said.

Mr Wani was speaking during a media stakeholder’s awareness workshop on civic space-related violations in South Sudan on Thursday.

“And we do not want that to happen. So, people should be given enough civic space for them to operate and to campaign and to say things that they always want to say their opinion. Because if you restrict the press freedom, and assembly then we are not moving anywhere,” said Wani.

“Instead, we are causing more chaos, we are inviting more violence into this country, so therefore people should be allowed to operate freely, and to assemble freely.”

According to international observers, since South Sudan’s independence in July 2011, freedom of expression has been severely restricted.

According to the UN Commission on Human Rights, South Sudan is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist, with 12 journalists killed with impunity.

But the government has often insisted that it grants freedom of the press in South Sudan.

According to the rights activist, journalists and government critics continue to face challenges of harassment, intimidation and jail.

“Freedom of assembly is also an essential element, it is also a universal right that is also under the universal declaration of human rights. So, we also believe that the government must be able to abide by this international obligations and instruments that they have subscribed to.”