Makuei threatens to arrest Radio Miraya journalists for defying regulations

JUBA, APRIL 8, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – South Sudan information minister and government spokesman Michael Makuei Lueth on Sunday threatened to arrest journalists working for UNMISS-operated Radio Miraya, saying they are defying his orders for media houses to register with the media Authority.

The senior government official made the threats during a press conference conducted in Juba last Sunday where he and acting foreign minister Deng Dau responded to a UN report that proposed criminal investigations against senior military and government officials over human rights abuses.

According to Makuei, Miraya FM has refused to be registered by the media authority, which is a requirement for all media houses in South Sudan.

Makuei said the registration process is free and that all media houses are expected to follow the rules and regulations set forth by the government.

“For Miraya FM, we are in crisis with you and should not have been allowed by the minister of foreign affairs to come and attend [this function] and had I known from the very beginning I would have sent you out because Miraya FM has refused to be registered by the media authority and the registration is free just to be registered and given your license, so that you operate like others like SSBC,” he said.

Makuei went on to say that journalists working for the UN-operated radio station should not be allowed to attend government functions and threatened that any journalist from the radio station who is not authorized or registered will be sent away or arrested for operating illegally.

“I had already issued an order that Miraya FM should not be allowed to attend any government function and any Miraya FM journalist who comes and not authorized not registered will be sent away or arrested because he’s operating illegally,” he said.

“This Miraya FM is one of the of the radios that are spreading lies and supporting causing havoc in South Sudan because it is not being …. It is not registered and as such it is working at will and they claim that they are working for peace,” he charged.

This is not the first time for journalists to be threatened by senior government officials as they have faced numerous challenges, including harassment, intimidation, and violence. In 2015, President threatened to kill journalists.

Since then, journalists have either been arrested or even killed for their reporting.

“You are lucky that you have attended this but next time don’t attend otherwise you will be arrested,” Makuei warns one journalist from Radio Miraya.