South Sudan broadcaster Eye Radio says its main website and 23-year digital archive have been inaccessible since Sept. 10 after its hosting provider took the site offline following an emailed document purporting to be an interim court order in a lawsuit filed by Capital Pay International Limited.
Eye Radio said the website was taken down without prior notice of the legal complaint. Visitors have since received a “404 page not found” message.
The broadcaster said the document, dated Sept. 7 and bearing the name of Kisumu High Court Judge Joe M. Omido, was used to instruct its hosting provider, Hostinger, to disable the website. It followed an application by Apex Legal Handlers, acting for Capital Pay.
During proceedings in Kisumu, Kenya, on Thursday, Eye Radio said its lawyer told the court that Eye Media, the company behind the broadcaster, was among the defendants. The judge, however, said Eye Media was not among the parties before the court.
Eye Radio said it is seeking clarification over the discrepancy between the document it received and the position stated in court.
The broadcaster said the alleged lawsuit identifies four of its reports that Capital Pay considers defamatory. Eye Radio said the reports were based on official government statements, press releases, U.N. investigations and other credible sources.
Eye Radio said the shutdown had cut public access to its 23-year archive and that it is seeking a court order requiring Hostinger to restore the website.
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