The editor-in-chief of a Juba-based Arabic daily newspaper was released from detention by South Sudan’s National Security Service (NSS) on Thursday evening without charges after three weeks in custody, his family confirmed.
Michael Christopher, editor-in-chief of Al-Watan Arabic Daily Newspaper, was detained in Juba on Nov. 26. The reasons for his arrest and subsequent release were not disclosed by authorities.
In a short live video shared on his Facebook page shortly after his release, Christopher thanked those who visited and supported him during his detention. He expressed appreciation to friends, the Journalists’ Union, several media outlets and some security personnel.
He also thanked Information Minister Ateny Wek Ateny for his intervention and acknowledged the support of his wife and family, who stayed in contact with him throughout his detention.
Christopher, who is known for discussing controversial issues on his personal Facebook page, did not disclose why he was arrested but said he would later explain what transpired. He also apologized to anyone he may have offended in previous social media videos.
A family member told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday evening that Christopher was released, was home and was doing well. The relative said the reasons for the detention were unclear because family members were not present during any investigations.
“When they arrested and investigated him while in detention, we were not there as a family,” the family representative said.
Authorities have not commented on the circumstances surrounding his arrest and release. Several calls to Information Minister Ateny Wek went unanswered.
Christopher has faced repeated run-ins with security agencies over the past decade. He was first detained in May 2016 by police after publishing an article about a senior army general and was released without charge. In July 2019, he was held for 39 days without charge by the NSS after officers confiscated his passport at Juba International Airport.
Rights groups, including the Committee to Protect Journalists and Human Rights Watch, have condemned his past detentions as arbitrary and described them as part of a wider clampdown on independent media in South Sudan.
The country’s national security legislation grants the NSS broad powers of arrest and detention without a warrant. Although South Sudanese law requires that a detainee be brought before a court within 24 hours of arrest, this provision is rarely respected by security forces.