As the globe commemorates World Press Freedom Day on Friday 3 May, the U.S. Embassy in Juba has called on the Government of South Sudan to guarantee civic space and press freedom.
The U.S. Embassy Statement said in a statement to mark the day that independent media is vital for a free society and good governance.
“On this 31st anniversary of World Press Freedom Day, we urge South Sudan’s transitional government to safeguard civic and political space and to defend the rights of journalists to bravely pursue the truth,” the statement read in part. “A free and independent press is fundamental to a free society and essential to transparent and good governance.”
“Defending free press means granting journalists access to information, and protecting journalists from retaliation, harassment, and unlawful detention,” it added.
The U.S. Embassy again used the World Press Freedom Day as an opportunity to call for a credible and comprehensive investigation that leads to accountability for the 2017 death of Christopher Allen, the American-British citizen who was killed while working as a journalist covering clashes between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in Opposition.