S. Sudan body condemns ex-governor’s arrest, calls for his release
August 18, 2015 (KAMPALA) – The director of South Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy (SSHURSA) has condemned the arrests of ex-Western Equatoria state governor, Joseph Bakosoro by security personal and called for his immediate release.
“This is humiliation to him as a person and abuse of his rights to fair trial under article 19 of the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan 2011. This constitutional provision obliges arresting authority to bring the accused before the court of law within 24 hours as specifically stipulated under article 19(4) of the Constitution,” reads the statement.
Bakosoro was sacked on Sunday through an unexpected presidential decree, which also affected his counteparts from Upper Nile, Central Equatoria and Warrap states.
The former Western Equatoria governor, was prior to his detention, blocked from traveling to his state by security personal allegedly acting on “orders from above”.
SSHURSA called on the government of South Sudan to produce Bakosoro before competent court of law, if at all it has any sustainable charges against him.
“Arresting a person and keeping him or her arbitrarily, is against the dignity and freedom of an individual and a stern reminder of the evils against which South Sudan sacrificed millions of lives for while fighting war of freedom with the Republic of the Sudan,” its executive director said, while urging the Juba government to respect the constitutional rights of every person in the world’s youngest nation.
“Without any further delay, the government should release of Bakosoro,” he added.
The government is yet to officially issue a statement on the arrest of the former governor.
(ST)
