Detained UN journalist denied legal aid by S Sudan security

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Defend lawyer of the detained UN journalist since August, 2014 Mr. George Livio for the last five months was denied access by the national security services to see the journalist. Community Empowerment for Progress Organization-CEPO is disturbed by the news that our national security is denying the defend lawyer of the detained Journalists not to see because he is detained for political reason.

Mr. Edmund Yakani, Executive Director, Community Empowerment for Progress Organization said South Sudan Transitional Constitutional, 2011 article 19 (8) stated “Any accused person has the right to defend himself or herself in person or through a lawyer of his or her own choice or to have legal aid assigned to him or her by the government where he or she cannot afford a lawyer to defend him or her in any serious offence”. Denying the lawyer of the detained UN journalist access to his client it is violation of constitutional article 19(8).

Secondly our Transitional Constitutional article 14 “Equality before the Law”. There is no equality before if the citizen has no legal aid or free legal representation. Kindly CEPO is urging our national security to compromise with the detained UN journalist. Whatever crime or offense Mr. George Livio committed does not allow him to be deserved legal aid per our transitional constitutional 2011 article 19(8) and article 14.   Yakani Stressed

Finally, CEPO is urging South Sudan Human Rights Commission to intervene into this case of Mr. George Livio. At the end we are citizens that do make mistakes that may constituted an offense but our Transitional Constitutional granted rights that each one of us should enjoy without any sanction in accordance to the constitutional article 9(2) “The rights and freedoms of individuals and groups enshrined in this Bill shall be respected, upheld and promoted by all organs and agencies of Government and by all persons”.

About CEPO

CEPO is engaged in the areas of Peace and conflict mitigation, human rights, rule of law, livelihood, governance and democratic transformation. It’s neutral, non–partisan and non–religious and is based on the principle of community empowerment and inclusive participation. Its core values are Commitment, Accountability and Transparency (CAT).