Pressure mounts on South Sudan government to release detained journalist

Reporters Without Borders has called for the immediate release of Alfred Taban, a South Sudanese journalist working for the Juba Monitor detained by security forces since July 16.

Several sources hint that his detention could be linked to an analysis he wrote titled “Let us speak out” published on July 15.

He is accused of calling on South Sudanese president Salva Kiir and his vice Riek Machar, to take their responsibility and end the violence that recently erupted in the country.

Several sources say he drew inspiration from the statement issued by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development.

The place as well as reasons for his detention are still unknown and NGO’s are worried about his health situation.

Reports from South Sudan say many South Sudanese journalists and human right defenders have been in hiding since the start of the year.

South Sudan has fallen by 26 places and is now ranked 140th out of 180 countries in the 2016 World Press Freedom index of Reporters Without Borders.