Detained ex-Northern Bahr el Ghazal governor ‘badly sick’ in NSS detention – family

JUBA – Former governor of South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal state turned activist Kuel Aguer Kuel who is being detained by the National Security Service (NSS) over allegations of planning anti-government protests has fallen sick inside the NSS detention, one of the family members said this afternoon.

Aguer was arrested in early August by members of South Sudan National Security Service after forming the People’s Coalition for Civil Action (PCCA) whose aim was to mobilize the people of South Sudan to take to the streets of the capital Juba to demand resignation of President Salva Kiir and his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny.

He has since been kept in solitary confinement by the intelligence agency since then without charges. His detention has sparked outrage among the citizens and the diplomatic community in South Sudan which has urged the government of President Salva to respect civil and political rights of the South Sudanese.

In a brief social media statement this afternoon, Mary Kuel Aguer, the daughter of the former Northern Bahr el Ghazal governor, said his father has fallen sick in the prison motivating public appeal to the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit to reconsider the activist’s detention.

“I will like to inform u all [that] my dad is very sick to day in prison .I’m requesting my Aweil community to inform our president of my dad situation,” she said in a brief social media Facebook statement seen by Sudans Post.

Separately, a commentator appealed to “our government to reconsider the detention of Hon. Kuel Aguer Kuel and release him with immediate effect. He is currently in dire need of medical attention.”

“Health is very important and a fundamental right of every citizen. He should be release to seek medical attention in respect to his fundamental rights.”