Journalists, Majur Dak’s Family Barred from Machar’s Trial

By Awan Achiek

Security organs on Monday blocked independent media outlets, including the family of the late Gen. James Majur Dak, from covering and attending court proceedings of the case involving suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar.

Dr. Machar and seven other senior members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in Opposition (SPLM-IO) appeared before the Special Court in Juba on Monday.

They are facing charges including murder, treason, conspiracy, financing terrorist acts, acts against state authorities, and crimes against humanity.

Denis Logonyi, a freelance journalist, stated that an official from the Ministry of Justice asked journalists to collect a document from the Ministry of Information to enable coverage of the court proceedings involving Machar.

“He said that we were supposed to pick up a document from the Ministry of Information, something which was not communicated to us earlier, and we did not have that document,” Logonyi said.

Logonyi criticised the restriction of access to the court, stating that it undermines the principles of open justice and press freedom.

“The court is assigned to uphold transparency, and you know, much as we have given access to SSBC, we don’t believe that it’s only SSBC that can inform the whole of South Sudan and the international community with news.”

He stated that the security official informed them that only the state-run South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) was permitted to cover the event.

“Another top security official approached us and told us that any other media is not allowed, only SSBC. So, this is what happened, and we had to leave.”

Another freelance journalist, Ejulu Denis, said, “Actually, the barring of journalists is very regrettable, because it shows that transparency is missing.”

“We were promised a fair, transparent trial, but by barring journalists, it seems that transparency is out the window.”

Abul Majur Dak, daughter of the late General James Majur Dak, said her family was also blocked from attending the court session.

“Denying access to the victims’ families during court hearings makes no sense. Who then is justice being sought for?” Majur wrote on her Facebook page on Monday.

She expressed that justice not witnessed by family is what she referred to as an “empty ritual.”

“Justice belongs not to the dead, who have already borne the weight of loss, but to the living, who carry the pain, the memory, and the demand for truth.”

Oyet Patrick Charles, President of the Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJoSS), stated that the denial of court access to journalists is unacceptable.

“The Ministry of Justice clearly said that all accredited journalists would be given access to the court session, and now for them to turn around and deny journalists is unacceptable,” Oyet said.

Ter Manyang Gatwech, Executive Director of the Centre for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), stated that members of civil society organisations were also blocked, arrested, and physically assaulted.

“I unequivocally call upon the Government of South Sudan to uphold the rule of law and ensure that all citizens—regardless of ethnicity—are treated with dignity, fairness, and equality,” Gatwech said.

He stated that no democratic society should accept state actors who target individuals based on their tribal identity or peaceful activism.

President Salva Kiir Mayardit on 12 September suspended Dr. Riek Machar Teny, leader of SPLM-IO, after he and his key allies were charged with murder, conspiracy, terrorism, destruction of public property and military assets, and crimes against humanity by the Ministry of Justice.

The charges stem from a violent incident in March when a militia known as the White Army overran a garrison of government troops in Nasir County, Upper Nile, killing its commanding officer, Gen. Majur Dak, and several soldiers.

The Ministry of Justice asserted that the attack in Nasir was influenced by Machar and others through “coordinated military and political structures.”

Machar has remained under house arrest since March, with concerns mounting for his safety since he has not appeared in public for months.