Rights Report Sparks Debate
A new 40-page study by the South Sudan Human Rights Defenders Network (SSHRDN) documents 114 verified civic-space violations between June 2022 and June 2025, highlighting arrests, closures of media outlets, and disrupted gatherings across Juba, Rumbek, Bor, and Wau.
NSS Rejects Allegations, Seeks Proof
NSS spokesperson David John Kumuri dismissed the report’s claim of systematic repression, insisting individual misconduct, not institutional policy, may explain isolated abuses.
He challenged advocates to submit case-by-case evidence, noting a presidentially mandated tribunal has already tried nearly twenty officers for overreach.
Civil Society Maintains Findings
Presenting the findings, advocate Omara Joseph said monitors gathered documents and witness testimony to corroborate each incident, rejecting what he called attempts to “discredit hard data”.
Deputy Human Rights Commissioner Zekia Ibsen warned that activists often face retaliation once public forums end, underscoring an atmosphere of fear.
Legal Powers Under Spotlight
Analysts note the National Security Service Act grants broad detention and censorship powers that appear to conflict with constitutional free-speech guarantees.
SSHRDN urges lawmakers to repeal criminal defamation, separate intelligence from policing, and strengthen parliamentary and judicial oversight.
Calls for Constructive Engagement
While rejecting blanket accusations, Kumuri invited journalists and NGOs to file complaints through established channels, promising “no fear or favor” in investigations.
Rights groups counter that sustainable trust hinges on transparent processes and legislative reform, a debate likely to shape South Sudan’s civic space in the years ahead.