Journalists Lily Nelson and Juma Peter speak to Eye Radio's Dawn Show. April 30, 2025. (Photo: Awan Moses).

JUBA, (Eye Radio) – Some South Sudanese media practitioners are encouraging fellow journalists to protect professional integrity and reject bribes from politicians using them to write articles to suit their interests.

They made the remarks on the eve of World Press Freedom Day, which is observed annually on May 3 to raise awareness about the importance of press freedom and to remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression.

They said journalism is a noble profession that should not be compromised by handouts.

Juma Peter is the Advocacy and Communication Manager at the Association for Media Development in South Sudan. He called on media houses to provide the necessary support to journalists to encourage them refrain from accepting bribes.

“In journalism we don’t encourage bribery, there is zero tolerance to bribery because it is a noble profession that has not to be compromise by anything, neither by money or something like that,” Peter said.

“I remember whenever we train our journalists, we always tell them that they should not even accept to be picked, to be dropped by politicians, like after a press conference, somebody will say can I give you a lift, they should not even accept.”

“They should not even accept to drink water that is offered by somebody so that it compromises their work. So, media house has to provide everything possible to journalists they don’t rely on the handouts from the politicians, so, we discourage that such kind of practice because it is a noble profession that must not be compromise by any envelope.”

On her part, Lily Nelson, a board member of the Association of Media Women in South Sudan, and AMDISS Board Member said it is not ethical for journalists to accept bribes to favor politicians.

“We as journalists, it is totally forbidden to take bribes or anything because of the work we do, our work is noble and we should not take any bribes to defend someone, or write something that does not help our people or citizens in South Sudan,” said Ms. Nelson.

“Leave alone the brown envelope, if it is even not allowed to take water from the source of your story or article, if they help you with water or transport, that will give you pressure and you will not cover your story with transparency, fairness, or justice, you will be bias.”

This year, the World Press Freedom Day global commemoration will focus on the profound influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on journalism and media under the theme: Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media.