Livio Bahara, the father of the jailed UN radio journalist George Livio Bahara, has called for his release on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day.
Livio has been held for nearly two years without charge by the National Security Service. He was working for the UN-operated Radio Miraya at the time of his arrest.
The journalist’s father said in a statement in Wau on Tuesday that he was allowed by the National Security to visit his son in March last year, saying he was in good health but suffered from a heart attack and was taken to the hospital two times during his detention.
Livio questioned why his son is still in detention without charge even after a transitional government of national unity was formed as per the terms of the peace agreement siged in August last year.
He stated that he doesn’t know the reason for the detention of his son until now. Bahara urged the authorities to release his son as part of the peace and pardon offered by President Salva Kiir.
“As a father I’m not happy. Now I don’t sleep well and I don’t eat well. I think about how my son is detained and why and what has he done? But now thank God we have come to peace. Riek Machar has come and he has become First Vice President. If my son was helping him in one way or the other – as some people say – alright fine, but Riek has come, and he has been forgiven. So why not forgive this poor boy?” said Livio.
Meanwhile, head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Ellen Loej who is Livio’s employer said Wednesday that Livio is one of three UNMISS staff members being held by National Security.
“I want to state that we are raising the issue of their release over and over again with the relevant authorities including the heads of national security and higher,” Loej told reporters.
She said UNMISS last raised the issue with the government a week ago after NSS freed former Western Equatoria governor Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro.
“We are also trying to see them on a regular basis to check their wellbeing, so I can assure you that we are working on that, and we are never forgetting those three staff members and are doing whatever we can assure they are released.”
File photo: George Livio