*EASTERN AFRICA JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION (EAJA) JUNE 12, 2011
SOUTHERN SUDAN: EAJA CONDEMNS THREATS AND HARASSMENT OF JOURNALIST* Eastern Africa Journalists Association (EAJA) has expressed concern over reported arrest and threats to the life of a senior Sudanese editor by security forces in Southern Sudan's capital, Juba. "We note with concern increasing cases of harassment and threats to journalists in Southern Sudan and are concerned over the reported arrest and threat on the life of Nhial Bol Aken, the Editor-in-Chief of the Juba-based The Citizen newspaper,' said Omar Faruk. Aken said he was arrested on Thursday night by the police who threatened to shoot him dead if he did not tone down his criticism of the Government of Southern Sudan. He published his harrowing experience at the hands of the police in the Saturday edition of his newspaper, The Citizen. He said he was arrested by the police as he left a dinner party in the company of a British diplomat at 11:30pm and was at first accused of violating a curfew but this changed when he was taken to the police station where a senior officer accused him of being anti-government. Aken's attempt to explain his case landed in deaf ears with the senior officer threatening to shoot him for writing "negative stories" against the government. He said he was held for several hours but later released after signing a blank peace of paper, ostensibly as an apology. The editor recently wrote an article critical of the draft transitional constitution of South Sudan, arguing it was undemocratic. South Sudan which voted last January to become independent from the North as part of peace deal that ended decades of debilitating conflict, is due to become independent on July 9, 2011.. Osman called on the Government of Southern Sudan to restrain its security personnel from harassing journalists saying this trend was unacceptable and depicted the new nation negatively. -------- *William O.Oloo* Regional Coordinator for Media Freedom, Advocacy and Research Eastern Africa Journalists Association (EAJA) E-mail: [email protected] General Email: [email protected] Telephone: +254-20-2632122 Mobile: +254-722697927 *Nairobi, Kenya.* -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
