Executions in Warrap ‘well-planned and coordinated’ – UN rights body says

JUBA – The United Nations’ Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan has said that recently reported executions in South Sudan are well-planned and coordinated saying it is concerned about the rise in extrajudicial killings in the country.

Early this week, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reported that it has credible information that around 29 people including little children were killed using firing squad. It also said apparent execution of criminals has also happened on orders of state government officials in Lakes.

The government of Lakes state has however issued a statement dismissing the report as ‘unfounded and biased’ urging the world mission in South Sudan to always substantiate its findings before making them public.

Yasmin Sooka, the chair of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan expressed concerns over the developments and said executions have been there for years and incidents of executions in Warrap state are well-planned and coordinated.

“Extrajudicial executions have been an on-going violation in South Sudan for several years,” Sooka.

“This escalation in extrajudicial executions that we are now seeing in Warrap is utterly disturbing and seems well-planned and coordinated,” she added.

The senior UN official further accused state government officials allied to President Salva Kiir Mayardit of ordering the killings in complete contravention of judicial processes demanding trial of suspects.

“This reprehensible practice evinces a complete disregard for the rule of law and the rights of the accused persons,” Sooka noted.

“Some local communities concerned about criminality appear to support extrajudicial and unlawful executions because they have simply lost faith in the justice system. They mistakenly believe that such public executions will discourage others from offending and help restore law and order at the community-level,” she further stressed.

Andrew Clapham, a member of the Commission on Human Rights said, “The absolute prohibition of extrajudicial executions is an extension of the right to life, and it means that those accused of criminal activity must be guaranteed due process of law, including access to a fair trial”.

“The spate of executions in Warrap implicates state security forces and very clearly constitutes a violation of the right to life, liberty, and security of person under international human rights law, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as South Sudan’s Transitional Constitution,” he added.