The South Sudanese government has detained journalist George Livio without charge for nearly a week and has denied him legal aid and denied his father permission to speak with him.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan, which reportedly employs Livio as a public information officer, has not made any official statement about his arrest, which occurred during a period of leave from duty.
However, Livio’s father spoke through the UN radio service, known as Radio Miraya, appealing for contact with his son: “What I want is that they allow me to talk to him. I want just to make sure that he is ok. That is my concern now.”
The father, Geligo Livio Bahara, works as an advisor on economic affairs in the Western Bahr el-Ghazal State government.
He confirms that his son was arrested by National Security agents on Friday: “I am only appealing that I should be in contact with him. Even if he is charged – the law should take its course when somebody commits a crime but at least I want to know that he is well and safe. Awaiting cross examination or whatever – that is not my concern.”
“My concern is after his safety only.”
By law, the government is permitted to detain a citizen for only 24 hours before being required to either release him or bring him before a public prosecutor or magistrate, as proscribed under article 64 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The government has held George Livio several days longer than that deadline without offering any explanation.
Earlier this month also the government detained a journalist of Bakhita FM for four days without bringing any criminal charges. Three international human rights organizations afterwards said that the National Security Service should apologize to journalists for illegally detaining them.
According to Livio’s father, he received a phone call from the Western Bahr al Ghazal governor, informing him his son was being held for information leading to a suspect.
Livio was transferred by the National Security Service from Wau, where he was arrested, to the national capital Juba.
A security source cited in an earlier report by Sudan Tribune said that Livio was arrested over alleged links to rebels. His family denies this accusation.
The Secretary-General of South Sudan Journalists Union in Western Bahr el Ghazal state confirmed the report of the arrest of the journalist.
James Deng Dimo told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that it was not clear to why the journalist was detained. He said that he immediately contacted the Western Bahr el Ghazal deputy governor Zachariah Joseph Garang on the matter.
The deputy governor claimed that the arrest had nothing to do with reporting, but had to do with something apart from his profession.
Dimo further said the union in Wau could not intervene because the detained journalist was abruptly transported to Juba along with other suspects.
“I don’t know his crime,” he noted.
Related:
National Security detain UN radio journalist in Wau (26 Aug.)