URGENT ACTION

two journalists arrested in south sudan

South Sudan’s National Security Services (NSS) have arrested and detained two journalists. Neither has been charged or had access to a lawyer or their families. They are at risk of torture and other ill treatment.

Ngor Garang, Editor in Chief at The Destiny newspaper, and journalist for the online newspaper, The Sudan Tribune, was arrested on 1 November. He was summoned to meet with the Director General of South Sudan’s NSS concerning an article that had been published in The Destiny. He attended the meeting with two colleagues, who were released following a three hour interrogation. Ngor Garang remains detained without charge.

On 5 November, two cars full of NSS personnel, six of whom were carrying guns, entered the offices of The Destiny and arrested one of its journalists, Dengdit Ayok. He also remains detained without charge. Both men are believed to be held in the NSS headquarters in Jebel. Neither has had access to a lawyer or to their families. They are at risk of torture or other ill-treatment.

It appears that the arrests are in relation to an article that Dengdit Ayok wrote, which criticized the president of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, for allowing his daughter to marry someone who is not South Sudanese. The NSS suspended the publication of The Destiny indefinitely on 1 November. This is in spite of a public apology to Salva Kiir published in The Destiny on 31 October. The Board of Directors of the newspaper had also imposed a five day suspension of the newspaper and suspended Dengdit Ayok for a month.

Detaining someone for more than 24 hours without permission of the court, as both men have been, is illegal in South Sudan. Article 19(4) of the Republic of South Sudan’s Transitional Constitution states that a suspect must be released on bail after 24 hours, unless a court decides they should be remanded in prison.

Please write immediately in English or your own language:

Call for Ngor Garang and Dengdit Ayok to be immediately and unconditionally released;

Urge the authorities to reveal the whereabouts of Ngor Garang and Dengdit Ayok and grant them immediate access to their families, lawyers, and any medical treatment they may require;

Call on the authorities to adhere to legal proceedings of detention and allow for freedom of expression, in accordance to Article 19(4) and Article 24(2) of the Republic of South Sudan’s 2011 Transitional Constitution and international human rights standards.

P LEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 19 DECEMBER 2011 TO :

Minister of Information

Dr Barnaba Marial Benjamin

c/o Mustafa Biong Majak Koul

Director General of Information

Ministry of Information

Juba, South Sudan

Email: musabiong@yahoo.ca

Salutation: Honourable

Minister of Interior

General Alison Manani Magaya

c/o Peter Wal Athieu

Undersecretary

Ministry of Internal Affairs

Juba, South Sudan

Email: pmadol@yahoo.com

Salutation: Honourable

And copies to:

Minister of Justice

John Luk Jok

c/o Moses Ateny Makol

Ministry of Justice

Juba, South Sudan

Email: mosesatenydemakol@yahoo.com

Salutation: Honourable

Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date

URGENT ACTION

two journalists arrested in south sudan

ADditional Information

South Sudan is the world’s newest nation. It became independent on 9 July, as a result of a referendum provided under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which ended Sudan’s 22 year civil war. As a new nation, with a long history of conflict, it faces huge challenges, including upholding the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

Southern Sudanese security forces have a record of harassing and arbitrarily arresting journalists for criticizing the government. During Sudan’s 2010 elections, they also arrested and detained people thought to be opposed to the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), including journalists.

Name: Ngor Garang and Dengdit Ayok

Gender m/f: Both male

UA: 327/11 Index: AFR 65/003/2011 Issue Date: 7 November 2011