This archive report was first published on 4 September 2019.
South Sudan has a history of suppressing press freedom, but a recent development offers a glimmer of hope. On September 4, 2019, the South Sudan Media Authority announced that it had lifted the ban on Arabic daily newspaper Al-watan, allowing it to resume publications on September 5, 2019.
According to a statement from the Media Authority, Al-watan had completed the renewal of its operational license, paving the way for its return to the newsstands. The ban was imposed on the newspaper in January, when it was barred from covering unrest in neighboring Sudan. The regulator at the time claimed that the demonstrations in Sudan were 'internal affairs.'
Al-watan's editor-in-chief, Michael Christopher, was detained for over a month without charge before being freed last month. His detention was just one of many instances of government officials targeting South Sudan media outlets and journalists who dare to highlight human rights violations and abuse of power.
At least 10 journalists have lost their lives in the line of duty since 2011, and several media outlets have been shut down by the government for critical coverage of the country's affairs. The country's ranking on the World Press Freedom Index by advocacy group Reporters Without Borders is a dismal 139 out of 180.
