South Sudan judges vow continuation with strike despite punitive threats

July 14, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudanese judges said on Friday they would not resume work despite punitive threats by the government.

“We the general assembly of Justice and judges across South Sudan, in our urgent meeting held at the Judiciary headquarters in Juba and in all the states, on this 14th day of July, 2017, have resolved to continue with our open strike in solidarity with our honourable dismissed justices and judges until our demands are met,” reads a statement signed by the new chairman on behalf of the association.

The judges said they were prompted by the presidential decision dismissing their colleagues to convene an urgent meeting at which they decided to stand in solidarity with those who have been dismissed through a presidential order on Wednesday.

The general assembly also decided to form an eight-member committee and elected Justice Bol Lul Wang as the new chairman of the assembly of judges and justices across the country.

The legal practitioners said they have placed the matter in the hand of President Salva Kiir to decide on either meet all the demands, including immediate reinstatement of the dismissed members or dismiss all on strike.

(ST)