A South Sudanese advocacy group, Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), has issued a strongly worded statement condemning what it calls increased suppression of media freedom and the freedom of expression in South Sudan.

“CEPO condemns the continuous increase of the suppression of media/freedom of expression at the current moment in South Sudan which is posing threats to expression of opinion on the scale of the recent signed peace agreement,” the statement dated 18 September reads in part.

The organization issued the statement expressing disappointment with the way the government has been treating media and how it handles freedom of expression after South Sudan's National Security Service on Thursday ordered Juba Monitor English daily newspaper to stop printing after it published article on the situation in Wonduruba.

The article headed, “Government: Stop creating enemies,” was the personal opinion of the editor.

Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO, says that freedom of expression is under threat, which in turn puts the implementation of the recent peace agreement at risk.

“At the current moment South Sudanese want freedom of expression and right to access information since suppressing freedom of expression and controlling right of access to information at the current moment is a great threat to public participation on the peace agreement implementation.”

Yakani urged the security authorities to allow Juba Monitor newspaper to continue printing tomorrow.

File photo: Edmund Yakani