South Sudan commemorates International Day to End Impunity and crimes against journalists

By Tapeng Michael

South Sudan joins the world today (Nov 2^nd) to celebrate the International Day to End Impunity and crimes against journalists.

In a statement UJOSS President Patrick Oyet Charles urges all stakeholders in the country to investigate crimes committed against journalists in South Sudan.

“Journalists are at times kidnapped, harassed, assaulted, detained beyond the limit provided by the laws of South Sudan and released without charges or trial, and we in the media celebrate the release of those journalists but no action is taken against those who violate the rights of the journalists,” UJOSS President Patrick Oyet said in a statement.

Oyet further calls for justice for crimes committed against journalists.

“UJOSS calls for rule of law, a justice system that vigorously investigates all threats of violence against journalists to send a powerful message that our society will not tolerate attacks against journalists and against the right to freedom of expression for all,”

It also urges the Media Authority of South Sudan, Information Commission and the National Communication Authority to help in ending impunity against journalists in the country.

 “UJOSS urges the Media Authority of South Sudan, Information Commission and the Communication Authority to take the lead towards ending impunity against journalists. We urge all stakeholders, including security personnel, to end impunity for crimes committed against journalists in South Sudan.”

South Sudan is a country emerging from years of armed conflict.

The Committee to Protect Journalists ranked the country in 2021 as the fourth in the world with cases of unresolved killings of journalists; this follows the failure to deliver justice for a number of murdered journalists in the country from 2015 to date

 UJOSS says most murder cases of journalists in South Sudan have not been reported since 2017, however, many crimes against journalists are still being committed and perpetrators are never brought to book.

The role of journalists in this country remains crucial especially during this time of the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement, constitution making process and elections slated for 2023.