![Members of South Sudan's National Security Service in a pickup vehicle - NSS [Photo by unknown]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/yu-you-Copy.jpg?resize=1600%2C932&quality=89&ssl=1)
Titled “Entrenched Repression: the systemic curtailment of democratic and civic space in South Sudan,” the report released on Thursday found that the NSS has instituted a pervasive and unlawful censorship regime to curtail independent media and imposed widespread restrictions and surveillance on civil society groups and their activities.
It also highlighted the persistence of attacks on journalists and human rights defenders both in and outside South Sudan, as well as online, often involving human rights violations carried out with absolute impunity.
“The repressive treatment of media and civil society are key indicators of prospects for accountable governance and a democratic society,” the report said. “Resistance to democratization is a legacy of the failure by the South Sudan’s liberation leaders to overcome decades of repression, and to transform its leadership following independence.”
Sudans Post and Radio Tamazuj, two independent media outlets covering Sudan and South Sudan, have been victims of cyberattacks in recent years.
In 2017, Radio Tamazuj was blocked by the South Sudanese government. In 2020, Sudans Post was also blocked. The two outlets have also had their social media accounts hacked multiple times.
The UN Commission’s report highlights these cyberattacks as examples of the tactics used by the National Security Service to suppress independent media in South Sudan.
“The Sudans Post and Radio Tamazuj cases illustrate a broader pattern observed by the Commission, of NSS censorship and unlawful activities outside the country,” it added.
Ms. Yasmin Sooka, Chair of the UN Commission, stressed that independent media and civil society play a key role in promoting democracy, peace, and human rights by educating the public about their rights, advocating for reforms, and monitoring the government’s compliance with its obligations.
“Independent media and a vibrant civil society represent critical voices in developing accountable governance, and the democratic processes required to enable peace and ensure human rights,” she said during a press conference in Nairobi.
“Surprisingly the Government instead treats journalists and civil society members who voice critique as enemies of the ruling political party, reflecting its extreme intolerance of all forms of public scrutiny and critical views. This does not bode well for democratic prospects,” she added.
The UN Rights Commission further concluded with recommendations to address the curtailment of democratic and civic space in South Sudan, which serve as preconditions for any credible electoral process.
The report comes at a critical time for South Sudan, which is preparing for national elections in late 2024 and the UN report warns that holding elections without addressing security concerns, creating an enabling environment, and completing the technical arrangements risks compounding grievances and fueling further violence.
