A US journalist reporting for the Associated Press was deported from South Sudan, the news agency said on Wednesday, for writing about human rights violations and being critical of the government. Justin Lynch was one of the last foreign reporters living in the war-torn nation.

"Yesterday I was arrested and deported by members of South Sudan's National Security Service. The officers did not officially present me with a reason for my arrest and deportation, but repeatedly said that my reporting was too critical of the government. This is a violation of press freedom," Lynch wrote on Twitter.

"As an international journalist, it is an unfortunate reality that I am privileged compared to my brave South Sudanese colleagues, who are frequently the victim of intimidation or even death," he added.

The only comment from the government in Juba was a statement from a presidential spokesman which said they were not aware of the deportation.

Government targets press

Journalists have repeatedly complained of harassment from authorities in conflict-ridden South Sudan. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, five reporters were killed while working in the country in 2015.

After winning independence from Khartoum in 2011, South Sudan erupted into civil war in 2013 when the long-simmering feud between President Salva Kiir and his former Vice President Riek Machar boiled over into armed conflict. A tentative peace deal reached in 2015, which saw Machar briefly reinstated before fleeing the country, has remained shaky at best.

Meanwhile, as both sides have been accused of war crimes such as ethnic cleansing and attacking aid workers, journalists have found it more and more difficult to report on the atrocities due to a government clampdown. The Juba Monitor newspaper has faced repeated temporary shutdowns for being critical of Kiir's administration, while the popular Eye Radio station was shuttered permanently in November. Several other newspapers have been shut and editors routinely rounded up for police questioning.

As the news of Lynch's deportation broke, his employer AP decried the lack of transparency in a region in need of international understanding. The agency called on the government to reverse its decision.

Media Freedom Hero: Josephine Achiro Fortelo from South Sudan What do you do to support press freedom? Josephine Achiro Fortelo, at Bakhita Radio, has the editorial process under control as she assigns the topics of the day. One reporter will call in at the town hall in Juba to ask about a possible cholera outbreak. Someone also has to cover a demonstration for women's rights, a topic close to the Catholic Network station manager's heart - and also the subject of her afternoon call-in program.

Media Freedom Hero: Josephine Achiro Fortelo from South Sudan What motivates you to keep going? South Sudan is a divided country and many have been traumatized by the civil war. For Josephine Achiro Fortelo and her colleagues, this means finding ways to break the cycle of violence. Which they've done for the past ten years, risking their own lives. Achiro Fortelo was once threatened in her own office. Still she steadfastly maintains, "We now need just one language - and it's called unity."

Media Freedom Hero: Josephine Achiro Fortelo from South Sudan What does your workplace look like? Keeping Bakhita Radio going takes a lot of work. When Achiro Fortelo applies for funding from donors, it's just the first step. The community station's antenna needs electricity to keep transmitting. This means a daily battle since energy prices have gone through the roof - and the ancient generator is constantly breaking down. Staying "on air" is in many ways a major challenge.

Media Freedom Hero: Josephine Achiro Fortelo from South Sudan How do you stay up to date? In South Sudan, the smartphone has arrived, particularly among the 400,000 inhabitants of the capital Juba. Nevertheless, the radio journalist insists on her daily newspaper. Together with radio, newspapers are still the main media form. But politicians are too often quoted unfiltered and Achiro Fortelo searches in vain for critical reporting. The interesting information is between the lines.

Media Freedom Hero: Josephine Achiro Fortelo from South Sudan Where does your inspiration come from? It's important to switch off. Your life is in constant danger as a journalist in South Sudan, says Achiro Fortelo and takes a deep breath. After work she relaxes on a hotel terrace, using the wireless network to chat with friends. During quiet moments like these, she's reminded that her country has a lot of potential. And that community radio has an important part to play. Author: Richard A. Fuchs / jwb



es/kms (AFP, Reuters)