The South Sudanese National Security Service has released Gurtong journalist Jok Akur Ngaar yesterday after detaining him for several hours yesterday and forcing him to delete photographs from his camera.
Jok was detained while covering an event organized by the South Sudan Bar Association on Monday. The security service interrupted the event and seized property of the association.
The journalist said after his release yesterday evening that the security decided to release him without any charges but the photos he took during the election were all deleted from his camera and he was warned to stay away from politics.
Activist Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the civil society organization CEPO, announced after the raid on the South Sudan Bar Association that the country needs such an independent professional association, pointing to the need for legal aid services for the public, as well as a body for guiding lawyers in terms of professional ethics.
“CEPO condemned the incidents and viewed this development as disturbing and demonstrating challenge to the freedom of association and assembly stipulated in South Sudan Transitional Constitution articles 25(1),” he said.
Yakani added that the right to peaceful assembly is recognized and guaranteed by the constitution, saying every person shall have the right to freedom of association with others, including the right to form or join political parties, associations and trade or professional unions for the protection of his or her interests.