Security personnel put padlock on the door of Al Watan Arabic Daily Newspaper/Courtesy

The Union of Journalists of South Sudan and the Association for Media Development are calling for the re-opening of the Al-Watan Arabic Daily Newspaper following its closure last month.

In a press release dated December 05, 2023, UJOSS called for the unconditional re-opening of the Arabic Daily Newspaper.

It says, “Some personnel in uniform went to the office of Al-Watan Newspaper on November 24, 2023, and ordered the journalists to vacate the building before it was locked up.

According to the Union’s Chairperson Oyet Patrick, the Newspaper was ordered not to publish until further notice, an act he says, has left ten journalists jobless.

He adds that the same incident has denied consumers and the public access to information.

The management of Al-Watan Arabic Daily Newspaper said the banning of the publication of Al-Watan Daily Newspaper followed the publication of an announcement extended to it by the former Minister of Youth and Sports Dr Albino Bol Dhieu.

Oyet called for the re-opening of the media institution and advised any aggrieved party to take the case to the Media Authority, the government entity that handles media-related issues.

He said the closure of the Newspaper is a violation of Article 24 on Freedom of Expression and Article 32 on Access to Information as provided for in the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan 2011.

Meanwhile, the Association for Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS) says it “is deeply concerned about the closure of the Al-Watan Daily Arabic Newspaper and calls on the authorities to reopen the paper.”

AMDISS describes the closure of the newspaper as detrimental to the media space when media pluralism and access to information are needed most.

“As the nation heads toward important democratic processes where the role of media is critical, AMDISS appeals to concerned authorities to reconsider their decision and resolve the issue through dialogue and allow the newspaper to operate and continue disseminating educational content to the general public,” it said.

AMDISS further reiterates its call on the authorities to channel media-related issues through the Media Authority, a body empowered by law to address media complaints.