South Sudan Urged to Cease Arbitrary Detention of Opposition Leaders
Human Rights Watch has reported the arbitrary detention of 22 political and military personnel in South Sudan, urging authorities to reveal their whereabouts and adhere to due process. Key figures detained include close associates of First Vice President Riek Machar. HRW emphasizes the need for transparency and international intervention to address these violations of human rights, particularly given the ongoing instability in the country.
In mid-February, authorities in South Sudan detained 22 political and military figures, violating international human rights standards, according to a statement released by Human Rights Watch (HRW). The organization has urged the government to halt these arbitrary detentions, disclose the locations of the arrested individuals, and uphold their due process rights.
The detainees predominantly include individuals linked to opposition leaders and First Vice President Riek Machar, who leads the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO). Key figures among those arrested are Lieutenant General Gabriel Duop Lam, Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol, and Peacebuilding Minister Stephen Par Kuol.
Nyagoah Tut Pur, a researcher for HRW, emphasized the pressing need for transparency, stating that the lack of clarity regarding the arrests exacerbates instability in South Sudan’s fragile security environment. He insisted that authorities must reveal the fate of the detained individuals and ensure their right to a fair trial in an impartial court.
The National Security Service (NSS), responsible for these detentions, has not responded to inquiries regarding the whereabouts of the detainees. HRW has previously highlighted the NSS’s extensive powers, which are often exercised without appropriate legal oversight.
HRW has called upon South Sudan to end enforced disappearances of dissenting individuals, specifically urging the international community, including the UN and African Union, to advocate for the cessation of arbitrary detentions and to prevent security forces from being misused as tools of oppression.
Article 2 of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance describes such disappearances as acts perpetrated by state agents, followed by a refusal to acknowledge such actions or disclose the status of the affected individuals. Although South Sudan is not a signatory to this convention, the prohibition against enforced disappearances is recognized as a binding international norm.
The current spike in arrests corresponds with ongoing conflicts between the government and armed factions, particularly in the Upper Nile region of Nasir—an important stronghold for the SPLA-IO. The situation escalated on March 7, when armed groups attacked a UN helicopter conducting a rescue mission, resulting in casualties.
Overall, Human Rights Watch has urged South Sudan to immediately cease arbitrary detentions and disclose the whereabouts of political detainees, emphasizing the detrimental impact of such actions on the nation’s already precarious security situation. The international community’s involvement remains critical in ensuring accountability for these human rights violations and promoting adherence to international legal standards.
Original Source: www.jurist.org
