Current:Home > Contact-usU.N rights commission accuses South Sudan of violations ahead of elections-LoTradeCoin
U.N rights commission accuses South Sudan of violations ahead of elections
View Date:2024-12-24 07:17:49
JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — The U.N Human Rights Commission on South Sudan accused the country’s National Security Service (NSS) of threatening media and civil society and undermining prospects for a democratic transition.
A new report based on the Commission’s independent investigations in 2023 released on Thursday details attacks on journalists and civil society, both within and outside the country.
Journalists have been subjected to surveillance, intimidation, and human rights violations including arbitrary detention, according to the U.N report.
“Independent media and a vibrant civil society represent critical voices in developing accountable governance, and the democratic processes required to enable peace and ensure human rights,” said the chair of the commission, Yasmin Sooka.
South Sudan is going through a political transition period after a civil war that wracked the country from 2013 until 2018, when a peace agreement was signed by President Salva Kiir and his rival turned Vice President Riek Machar.
Elections have been scheduled for December 2024.
The report details violations to the human rights of political reporter Woja Emmanuel who in May 2023 announced on social media that he had quit journalism, saying he feared for his life.
The government is yet to comment on these rights violations.
The U.N Commission is concerned about the intolerance toward critics of the government ahead of the elections.
“South Sudan still lacks an umpire to review and curtail the repression of human rights, and to resolve disputes that may arise through electoral processes,” said Commissioner Carlos Castresana Fernández.
Fernández said the government was taking too long to establish transitional justice institutions, terming its delays as “politically calculated strategies to maintain the supremacy of ruling elites.”
The report also urged South Sudan’s government to urgently cease unlawful media censorship and to end restrictions on civic and political activities.
veryGood! (6)
Related
- A crowd of strangers brought 613 cakes and then set out to eat them
- The job market was stunningly strong in September
- 'Brooklyn Crime Novel' explores relationships among the borough's cultures and races
- 'Dylan broke my heart:' Joan Baez on how she finally shed 'resentment' of 1965 breakup
- Powerball winning numbers for Nov. 9 drawing: Jackpot rises to $92 million
- NFL Week 5 picks: 49ers host Cowboys in what could be (another) playoff preview
- Judge denies defendant's motion to dismiss Georgia election case over paperwork error
- Savannah Bananas announce 2024 Banana Ball World Tour schedule, cruise
- What that 'Disclaimer' twist says about the misogyny in all of us
- Selena Gomez gets support from Taylor Swift, Francia Raisa at benefit for her mental health fund
Ranking
- Roy Haynes, Grammy-winning jazz drummer, dies at 99: Reports
- Dick Butkus wasn't just a Chicago Bears legend. He became a busy actor after football.
- The Best Holiday Beauty Gift Sets of 2023: Dyson, Rare Beauty, Olaplex & More
- A Florida man who shot down a law enforcement drone faces 10 years in prison
- Here's Your First Look at The White Lotus Season 3 With Blackpink’s Lisa and More Stars
- Ancient gold treasures depicting Norse gods unearthed in Norway: A very special find
- Changes coming after Arlington National Cemetery suspends use of horses due to health concerns
- Police issue arrest warrant for 19-year-old acquaintance in death of Philadelphia journalist
Recommendation
-
John Robinson, successful football coach at USC and with the LA Rams, has died at 89
-
Colorado funeral home operator known for green burials investigated after bodies found 'improperly stored'
-
A judge rules against a Republican challenge of a congressional redistricting map in New Mexico
-
Economic spotlight turns to US jobs data as markets are roiled by high rates and uncertainties
-
Inside Dream Kardashian's Sporty 8th Birthday Party
-
Type 2 diabetes is preventable. So why are more people getting it? : 5 Things podcast
-
Economic spotlight turns to US jobs data as markets are roiled by high rates and uncertainties
-
Health care strike over pay and staff shortages heads into final day with no deal in sight