An official from South Sudan’s Media Authority on Monday confiscated the equipment of three journalists after they had just finished covering the inauguration of parliament by President Salva Kiir at Juba’s Freedom Hall.
Journalists at the event said an incident first occurred during the function when security personnel asked their colleague Ajou Luol to vacate a place he was occupying because it was not meant for the media. Luol and the security officers exchanged words and they took him out of the hall, a journalist said.
As a result of their colleague being thrown out of the hall, several other journalists walked out of the event in protest and demanded Luol be released or they would not cover the function and the speech of the president. According to the reporters present, presidential press secretary Ateny Wek Ateny intervened and Luol was allowed to go back and cover the event.
A journalist who was present but preferred anonymity for security reasons said an official from the Media Authority later confiscated the equipment of three reporters after the conclusion of the function.
“After the speech of the president and when journalists were now packing their equipment to go, someone came from the National Media Authority and asked Ajou (Luol) to hand over his camera and equipment, and also asked Maura Ajak to handover her camera,” he narrated. “Another female journalist, a photographer called Yom Manas, I think they took her mobile phone but I don’t know if she had a recorder or not. So, three of them were told by the Media Authority to follow them and discuss or sort out the issue from their office.”
A source at National Media Authority who said he was not authorized to speak to the media said the journalists were not arrested but were taken to the authority’s offices for interrogation for alleged misbehavior at the event. He said the three journalists undermined the work of the security personnel.
Radio Tamazuj was unable to reach the three journalists for comment.
However, The President of the Union of Journalists of South Sudan, Patrick Oyet Charles, said he got a call from the Media Authority regarding the matter on Monday but is yet to get details about the case from the three journalists.
Last Friday, three journalists working for Radio Jonglei (95.9 FM), including the station manager, were taken for questioning by security operatives in Bor Town of Jonglei State for allegedly planning to air content related to mass protests planned for Monday 30 August. They were released hours later but the Radio station remains closed.