Opportunities for Reviewing the Media Authority Act 2013 on Press Freedom in South Sudan
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This article examines the impact of the 2013 Media Authority Act in South Sudan and its relationship to press freedom and freedom of expression, which are enshrined in international instruments such as the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. However, the principle is not practised equally by all states. The Media Authority Act, established in South Sudan to regulate the media and ensure media freedom, is marred by many issues, making it ineffective, including censorship of the media, harassment and intimidation of journalists, arrest without cause, and impunity for those who violate the rights of media professionals. Ongoing political instability and unrest in the country have silenced public debate. The study focuses on the impact of the Media Authority Act on media freedom in South Sudan. It proposes solutions to improve the situation, i.e., a critical analysis of the Act and the views of different stakeholders on how the law can be made to comply with the human rights norms of other countries and to address wider socio-political issues that inhibit the full realisation of freedom of the press in South Sudan. The study contributes to discussions on the media's place in democratic governance and the observance of human rights in South Sudan. It offers policy prescriptions to strengthen the legal framework for press freedom, develop a free press, and strengthen the fundamentals of democracy in South Sudan. Lastly, the study emphasises the need to address broader socio-political issues that hinder the full freedom of the press in South Sudan.
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