Journalists in South Sudan should be familiar with the Media Laws but also with the transitional national and states Constitutions, privacy laws and the Criminal Code to avoid problems.
The advice comes from South Sudan Human Rights Commission chief Lawrence Korbandi.He told journalists Thursday in Juba during the Press Freedom Day celebration that they have to know the organic laws regulating the sector in order to avoid problems.
Albino Okeny, a veteran journalist, told South Sudanese journalists that the media laws can bring them some extra √É’suffering.’
He urged journalists to keep their Code of Ethics in order to use freedom of expression without interference from outsiders.
National Information Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin told the journalists that the Council of Ministers passed the three media bills after a very long debate.
He said the Media Bills are not just for journalists but they represent the foundations for democracy in South Sudan.
Dr Marial reminded journalists that the media forms the fourth pillar of the government.
Press Freedom celebration in Juba gathered more than 100 participants under the theme “Access to quality information and its relationship to media freedom.”