A female journalist in Juba, South Sudan, has reported to the union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS) that she is receiving death threats from the members of artists union.
In a statement issued by the Union of Journalists of South Sudan today, the undisclosed female journalist who works for Advance Youth Radio 99.9 FM in Juba; received death threats from the members of artists union after covering leadership wrangles at the union.
“The female journalist was assigned by her radio station to cover “a launch of an office for South Sudan’s Artists Union,” on July 26th, while at the event, disagreement among the artists union members led to violence and she left the venue. However, she was followed by people purporting to have powers to kill her and close Advance Youth Radio,” said Oyet Patrick, president of The Union of Journalists of South Sudan in a statement.
Since the day of the fight, the union said both the journalist and the radio station continued to face death and closure threat over the phone by unknown people.
“The threat against the journalist continued on July 27th via phone calls, the management of Advance Youth Radio also received threats via phone calls,” Oyet stated.
On July 26, 2023, when the physical fight erupted among the artists at the Union office’s launching; Advance Youth Radio was live streaming the event via their social media platform and the clips of the fight were widely shared on social media.
Oyet said the threats against the journalist and the institutional violated the constitution and now the union considers taking legal procedures to ensure maximum safety.
“UJOSS is now consulting its legal team for possible legal action. The threat is a violation of Transitional Constitution of South Sudan 2011, as amended, Article 24 on Freedom of Expression and Article 32 on Access to Information,” Oyet wrote.
