Press freedom in a conflict-ridden country – Norwegian Refugee Council

"Since I arrived in South Sudan, January 2016, there has been a change in media censorship. Earlier, journalists were tortured and media houses physically closed, but now there is more self-censorship. The press are being threated. Journalists and media owners are being told to watch what they publish or broadcast," Ndinoshiho says.

According to the International Federation of Journalists, South Sudanese journalists are frequently harassed, intimidated, beaten or abducted, and sometimes killed. The Committee to Protect Journalists ranks South Sudan as the fifth worst country in the world when it comes to holding the killers of journalists accountable for their crimes.

"The country is not safe, so journalists are not safe", says Ndinoshiho.

For the past year, Mwatile Ndinoshiho has been deployed to UNESCO in South Sudan, as a Communication and Information Specialist. Much of her work is concentrated around the UN Plan of Action on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity.

South Sudan has legal protection for the freedom of expression and the media, and the constitution guarantees media freedom. However, defamation is seen as a criminal offense and within the legal framework there are limits to press freedom and freedom of expression.

Although restrictions decreased after the establishment of the South Sudan Media Authority in September 2016, there is still some control of media activity, both for national and international journalists.

The country's economy is failing, and combined with the current conflict and dire humanitarian conditions, the government is not be able to fund the Media Authority or other similar institutions that help the public access information, participate in governance and demand accountability.

"Citizens, including journalists, need to understand that they have a right to information and how they can apply it. There is also a need for media donors and development partners to support institutions such as the Media Authority that deal with complaints, hearings and other media-related incidents, "Ndinoshiho says.

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Press freedom in a conflict-ridden country - Norwegian Refugee Council