UN radio journalist George Livio Bahara has been held for more than five months without charge after being detained by security agents in Wau, the capital of Western Bahr al Ghazal State of South Sudan.
In August, George Livio, a journalist who was working with UN Radio Miraya based in Wau, was detained along with a security guard called James Lual Tharjiath.
Both were transferred to Juba in the custody of the National Security Service, on suspicions of having links with SPLA-IO rebels.
Monyluak Alor Kuol, George’s defense lawyer, told Radio Tamazuj yesterday that security operatives have been denying him access to meet his client. He pointed out that security agents informed him that George is being detained for political reasons.
The father, Geligo Livio Bahara, newly appointed mayor of Wau, declined to talk about the matter when approached by Radio Tamazuj last week. The spokesperson of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), which runs Radio Miraya, did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent yesterday.