A journalists association condemned the closure of the Khartoum Monitor and Sudan Tribune English newspapers in Khartoum.
The newspapers were suspended two days ago over allegations of encouraging and inciting the secession of south Sudan.Phillip Atem Bior heads the South Sudan Union of Journalists. He said in a press conference this afternoon that the accusation was baseless.
Mr. Atem added that South Sudan respects the rights of journalists unlike the Government in Khartoum.
Mr. Atem explained that the Khartoum Monitor was accused of publishing an article which claimed that Jesus died of HIV.
He added that the Sudan Tribune was closed for publishing an SPLM response to a pro- NCP newspaper that quoted speaker James Wanni Igga as saying that two states in the south would not participate in the referendum due to insecurity problems.