JUBA— The Former Political Detainees (FDs) of South Sudan have urged the international community to expedite the long-delayed establishment of the Hybrid Court for South Sudan to investigate and prosecute those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 2013 conflict.
Maj. Gen. Bior Leek Kuareng, a senior representative of the Former Political Detainees, called on the African Union to renew efforts to revive the stalled process of setting up the court, as provided for in the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement.
“I’m urging the international community to look into the hybrid court because its formation has been stalled,” Gen. Leek said during the 4th RJMEC extraordinary meeting in Juba on Tuesday.
He stressed that transitional justice is essential to restoring peace and stability in the country. “This is the only process that will revive the peace process because today there are serious violations among the parties still fighting on the ground. The hybrid court is the only institution capable of addressing and processing all human rights violations in this country,” Leek stated.
Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, said the government has made significant progress on transitional justice. “Chapter Five, for instance, on transitional justice — we have made a lot of progress there. The laws to operationalize the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation, and Healing, as well as the Compensation and Reparation Authority, are already in place,” Lomuro said.
He added that preparations are underway to appoint commissioners for the Truth, Reconciliation, and Healing Commission, as stipulated in the 2018 peace accord. “We are now dealing with Chapter Five, which includes the hybrid court. This is still under discussion between the government and the African Union. The importance of this chapter is to provide an opportunity for victims to tell their stories so that we can categorize them — those that can be resolved through forgiveness, those that may go to court, and serious human rights violations that must be handled by the hybrid court,” he explained.
The Hybrid Court for South Sudan is an AU-led tribunal mandated to investigate and prosecute individuals responsible for serious crimes committed since December 15, 2013, including the killing of civilians, sexual violence, forced recruitment of children, and displacement of populations, among other atrocities.
The court’s establishment, outlined under Article 5.3 of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, is seen as crucial to ensuring lasting stability and accountability in South Sudan. The decision to form the court was first agreed upon in the 2015 peace accord and reaffirmed in the 2018 revitalized agreement.
In September 2025, the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) passed two key bills paving the way for the hybrid court’s establishment: the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation, and Healing Bill 2024 and the Compensation and Reparation Authority Bill 2024. The two laws aim to address the legacy of the conflict and deliver justice and reparations to victims.
The bills also provide for the creation of support centres offering psychotherapy and counselling services for both victims and perpetrators of conflict-related crimes.
