The United Nations Human Rights Commission has condemned the increasing cases of arbitrary arrests and detentions in South Sudan.
The commission stated that hundreds of political opponents, journalists, and activists are being harassed, intimidated, or detained by government security forces and armed groups.
Human rights organizations have warned that these practices could undermine the fragile peace process in the country.
According to testimonies from victims and eyewitnesses collected by the UN Human Rights Division and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, members of the so-called “South Sudan People’s Defense Forces” and the National Security Service have detained “dozens of government critics, including members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army – Opposition” over recent months.
These arrests have involved detentions in secret locations and denial of access to lawyers or family members, as well as practices of torture and ill-treatment inside detention centers.
The detentions have also included the First Vice President, several ministers, members of parliament, military officers, and civilians.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan documented 94 incidents of arbitrary arrest and detention affecting 391 people, including 8 women, 4 children, and one girl, many of whom belong to political opposition groups during the first six months of 2025.
Human rights organizations noted that these arrests often occur without judicial warrants or legal procedures.
Further Deterioration
In this context, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, warned of a further deterioration in the human rights situation in South Sudan.
Türk said, “I am deeply concerned about the arbitrary nature of many of these arrests, where individuals have been detained without warrants or legal procedures.”
He added, “All arbitrarily detained individuals must be released immediately and unconditionally,” emphasizing that the rising violence in South Sudan is “extremely alarming and threatens the already fragile peace process in the country.”
It is worth noting that a peace agreement was signed in 2018 to resolve the conflict in South Sudan, aiming to end the civil war that claimed nearly 400,000 lives, establish a transitional government, and promote reconciliation.
Despite the agreement reached between the conflict parties in South Sudan, the country continues to face serious challenges in governance, insecurity, systematic persecution, and political instability, according to human rights organizations.
Source: Al Jazeera / Al-Yurae
