The National Security Service of an African country has jailed journalists working for the state television company.
Six South Sudanese journalists have been arrested for distributing a video of President Salva Kiir urinating into his pants as the national anthem is played at an official ceremony.
By the way in shape The Guardian, citing an independent American non-governmental organization, the Committee to Protect Journalists.
An African country’s National Security Service has jailed journalists working for South Sudan’s state broadcaster SSBC. These are two videographers, a video editor and three employees of the video department, suspected of having “leaked” the video on the web.
Mutoki Mumo, a spokesman for a non-governmental organization in Africa, says the arrests are part of a pattern in which “security officers resort to arbitrary detention whenever the authorities believe they are placed at a disadvantage”.
“The authorities must unconditionally release the six SSBC employees and ensure they can do their jobs without further intimidation or threats of arrest,” said Mutoki Mumo.
The Union of Journalists of South Sudan, which initially denied that the journalists were imprisoned, is now calling for an investigation into the allegations against them to reach “immediate conclusions”.
“If there is any suspicion of their professional misconduct, the authorities should investigate the matter honestly, transparently and in accordance with the law,” the union said in a statement.
A video circulating online has raised questions about the 71-year-old president’s health. Salwa Kiir has led South Sudan since independence in 2011. No elections have been held in the country since then, although elections are scheduled for 2024.
Recall that the video in which South Sudanese President Salva Kiir peed during the playing of the national anthem, it quickly spread across the web and went viral.
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