Current:Home > ScamsU.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:2024-12-23 12:03:14
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! (4)
Related
- UFC 309: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic fight card, odds, how to watch, date
- Everything to Know About King Charles III's Coronation
- Global Programs Are Growing the Next Generation of Eco-Cities
- With early Alzheimer's in the family, these sisters decided to test for the gene
- Engines on 1.4 million Honda vehicles might fail, so US regulators open an investigation
- Princess Charlene and Prince Albert of Monaco Make Rare Appearance At King Charles III's Coronation
- Today’s Climate: June 22, 2010
- Damaris Phillips Shares the Kitchen Essential She’ll Never Stop Buying and Her Kentucky Derby Must-Haves
- Tampa Bay Rays' Wander Franco arrested again in Dominican Republic, according to reports
- Sister of Saudi aid worker jailed over Twitter account speaks out as Saudi cultural investment expands with PGA Tour merger
Ranking
- Conviction and 7-year sentence for Alex Murdaugh’s banker overturned in appeal of juror’s dismissal
- 2015: The Year Methane Leaked into the Headlines
- Don’t Miss These Jaw-Dropping Pottery Barn Deals as Low as $6
- New Federal Gas Storage Regulations Likely to Mimic Industry’s Guidelines
- Why California takes weeks to count votes, while states like Florida are faster
- Leaking Methane Plume Spreading Across L.A.’s San Fernando Valley
- California Declares State of Emergency as Leak Becomes Methane Equivalent of Deepwater Horizon
- Don't Miss This Kylie Cosmetics Flash Deal: Buy 1 Lip Kit, Get 1 Free
Recommendation
-
FC Cincinnati player Marco Angulo dies at 22 after injuries from October crash
-
After being bitten by a rabid fox, a congressman wants cheaper rabies treatments
-
Today’s Climate: June 30, 2010
-
Need a push to save for retirement? This 401(k) gives you up to $250 cash back
-
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, 4G
-
Mama June Shannon Shares Update on Daughter Anna Chickadee' Cardwell's Cancer Battle
-
As Snow Disappears, A Family of Dogsled Racers in Wisconsin Can’t Agree Why
-
A high rate of monkeypox cases occur in people with HIV. Here are 3 theories why