South Sudan Media Sector Development Partners called on the government to assure the safety of journalists in the country.
The South Sudan Thematic working group on safety of journalists and the issue of impunity I its statement on Thursday said the scale and number of attacks against journalists, media workers and incidents affecting their ability to exercise their profession freely is rising.
It said increased self-censorship, arrests, closure of media houses, denial of access to information and failures to investigate and prosecute crimes against perpetuators of violence against journalists are alarming.
It disclosed that harassment, arrest, destruction and confiscation of newspapers and of professional equipment continue.
The media development partners requested the government to fast track the signing of the three pending media bills into laws.