South Sudan journalist arrested while livestreaming Juba market fire, media group says

JUBA – South Sudanese authorities arrested a journalist from South Sudan Media while he was livestreaming a fire at Juba’s Custom Market on Monday night, the outlet said in a statement, in an incident that has renewed concerns over press freedom in South Sudan.

A large fire tore through a section of Juba’s busy Custom Market on Monday evening, destroying multiple shops and triggering an emergency response.

The blaze erupted near the compound of the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) in the Nyakuron area and spread dangerously close to the broadcaster’s premises in Juba, where the journalist was livestreaming as the flames advanced.

The journalist, Santo Jal Dut, was detained at around 9:30 p.m. while broadcasting live from the scene, where he criticized what he described as the absence of state authorities and emergency services as the blaze engulfed traders’ shops.

In the livestream, Dut accused the government of remaining silent while the market burned and questioned why the fire brigade had not arrived, suggesting the fire may have been deliberately set.

He directly addressed President Salva Kiir, saying that if authorities intended to detain him, they should “come and arrest me.”

Moments later, Dut was taken into custody, and his phone was seized, according to the footage. A voice that appeared to be of a soldier is heard in the video telling him, “You are the people making live videos here, right? We are looking for you,” moments before the footage abruptly cuts off.

South Sudan Media said in a statement that Dut was arrested by state security authorities while carrying out what it described as legitimate journalistic work. It said no formal charges had been presented and that its lawyers had been denied access to him, calling the detention a violation of due process.

“As of this release, no formal charges have been presented, and our legal representatives have been barred from meeting with him a clear violation of his right to due process,” the statement seen by Sudans Post reads in part.

“Journalism is not a crime,” the outlet added, demanding Dut’s immediate and unconditional release, full disclosure of any allegations against him, and unrestricted access to legal counsel and his family.

Witnesses at the scene told Sudans Post that repeated attempts to reach Dut after his arrest went unanswered, and his whereabouts remained unknown as of Monday mid-night.

The arrest comes days after another journalist, Michael Christopher, who works with Arabic-language media outlets, was detained under unclear circumstances, heightening concerns among press freedom advocates about a growing pattern of security pressure on journalists in the country.

South Sudan Media said it was engaging with diplomatic missions, journalist unions and international press freedom organisations to press for Dut’s release.