Two international human rights organisations have called on South Sudan's authorities to stop shutting down newspapers as well as harassing and detaining journalists.
In a joint report, The price of silence", Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are particularly critical of the South Sudanese national security service (NSS).
The report comes against the backdrop of a continuing internal conflict that began in December 2013 during which government officials have banned journalists from interviewing opposition leaders.
Those who have done so, or who have reported on human rights violations by government forces, have faced intimidation.
The NSS has harassed and detained journalists, summoned them for questioning, and told some to leave the country. One newspaper, the Almajhar Alsayasy, was forced to cease publication. Issues of another weekly newspaper, Juba Monitor, were prevented from sale on eight occasions in the past seven months. In June, an entire run of The Citizen, a weekly newspaper, was seized.
Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said: "We've seen the NSS and other authorities erode freedom of expression since South Sudan's independence through abusive practices. These should end now."
Elizabeth Ashamu Deng, South Sudan researcher at Amnesty International, said: "The government clampdown takes place at a time when South Sudan most needs independent voices to contribute to discussions about how to end the political crisis and internal armed conflict.
"Abuses by the NSS - an institution that still has no law governing it - have especially contributed to a growing atmosphere of fear among journalists and human rights defenders."
Sources: Amnesty International/HRW Full report: in pdf format
