South Sudan authorities shut down popular radio station in capital, says watchdog group

KAMPALA, Uganda – The Committee to Protect Journalists says South Sudanese authorities shut a popular radio station in the capital, Juba.

The group said in a statement Monday that security agents raided the Bakhita Radio station on Saturday and arrested four staffers, including the news editor who remains in detention.

The statement said presidential spokesman Ateny Wek said the radio station had undermined national security by falsely reporting a rebel allegation that government forces had instigated renewed fighting in Unity State.

Tom Rhodes, the group's East Africa representative, said South Sudan's government "has repeatedly taken a heavy hand to the media, even as political instability underlines the public's need for independent sources of information."

Since December South Sudan has been wracked by violence as government troops try to put down a rebellion.