(JUBA) – The Office of the Speaker of Parliament has withdrawn a directive that told media houses to use only approved photographs of Speaker Joseph Ngere Paciko, backing down after journalists and press freedom groups said the order threatened editorial independence.
The portraits had been sent out earlier this week with the aim of standardising how the Speaker is shown in news reports, on social media and in official communications. The Speaker’s Office said poor quality, low resolution and distorted images were being used and that this harmed the dignity of the post.
Media watchdogs responded quickly. The Association for Media Development in South Sudan wrote to Parliament’s ICT and Postal Services Committee and called the directive a possible attack on editorial freedom. The association said telling newsrooms which pictures to use sets a worrying precedent for censorship and could frighten journalists away from using their own professional judgement.
In a statement issued Thursday, the Speaker’s Office confirmed the withdrawal. It said it had listened to the concerns from media groups, weighed the effect on press freedom and public debate, and decided to pull the portraits back.
The statement added that the Speaker’s Office remains open to talks with the Association for Media Development, the Union of Journalists of South Sudan and individual media houses.
The swift reversal marks a win for media groups that have long pushed for greater editorial space in South Sudan, where journalists often face pressure over how they report on public figures.