The National Security Service have released a journalist illegally detained at their headquarters in Juba since 29 December.

Joseph Afandi, a journalist with the ‘El Tabeer’ daily newspaper, was arrested after writing an article allegedly criticising the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), the ruling party.

His case was the subject of a 'call to action' by rights group Amnesty International earlier this month, which urged its supporters to write to Minister of Information Michael Makuei at makueimichael@yahoo.com to advocate on behalf of Afandi.

A member of the family told Radio Tamazuj today that Afandi was released without having been charged with any crime and that security personnel had threatened him not to write anything critical of SPLM. 

South Sudan's National Security Service are also holding in detention George Livio, a journalist for the UN radio service.