Leader of youth-led political party arrested by security agents over anti-extension remarks

JUBA – South Sudan opposition politician and leader of the youth-led African People’s Congress (APC), Deng-bil William, has been arrested by police authorities after he urged citizens to reject the extension of the transitional period, according to a senior party official.

APC’s Interim Secretary General Jacob Thon Dhiei said his boss was picked up by security agents in plain clothes at his residence on Wednesday night and has since been in police jail, according to Jacob Thon Dhiei, the Eye Radio reports.

“Following the extension of the transitional period, we wrote our position paper rejecting the extension as APC (African People’s Congress) party, and then there was a protest on Sunday at Konyokonyo led by youth and civil society,” he said.

“He was met by security apparatus coming to his house at 10 pm at night (on Wednesday) and picked up. The security apparatus came in non-uniform and were driving a numberless car and two motorcycles. He was taken to unknown location where he was tortured and later brought to Malakia Police Station,” he added.

He said that “People are talking of political space, but why are you arresting leaders of political parties that are not armed, those that are non-violent political actors? So, we are demanding for his release and after his release we will take legal action against those who arrested our chairman.”

Separately, police spokesman Major General Daniel Justin, confirmed the arrest of the young outspoken politician and said investigations were underway.

“So far I’m confirming the arrest but the investigation is going because if I talk to about what is being investigated, the investigation will fail. The investigation may lead to evidence about the people we brought in so, want to confirm whether the allegation is true or not,” he said.

“We arrest him at night, because sometimes we do not find people during the day, we monitor you and then you are arrested it is normal. I don’t have any idea about that, but we do not torture, you are shown your warrant of arrest and read it and then you go with us. Unless you are resisting, this is when we use force to make sure that are arrested,” he added.

CALL FOR REJECTION OF EXTENSION OF TRANSITIONAL PERIOD

In an exclusive interview with Sudans Post on August 5, William rejected the extension of the transitional period by President Salva Kiir and his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar and called for nationwide protests on 9 August to force the government to step down, citing failed leadership.

“African People’s Congress, calling upon South Sudanese where ever they are to come out in large numbers on Monday, 8th Aug. 2022 to protest the arbitrary extension of R-TGoNU mandate,” William who attended to the interview with his party secretary-general said.

The young South Sudanese politician called on Social Media Criminals, Red Card Movement and People’s Coalition for Civil Action to join hands with African People’s Congress to stage an anti-government protest next week.

“We demanding the resignation of Revitalized Government of National Unity  (R-TGoNU) and the subsequent establishment of the government of technocrats that shall prepare our country for a democratic, free, and fair elections,” William added.

For his party, the party interim party SG Jacob Thon Dhiei vowed to continue piling on pressure until the entire government is ousted.

“In Algeria when the Bouteflika was ousted out by university students, it was sort of misunderstanding of trying to extend term limit and when you come to Egypt, it was sort of misunderstanding that ousted Morsi and his successor and when you come to Sudan, it was just an issue of bread that ousted Omar al-Bashir,” said Thon.

“South Sudanese are there dying in their own houses due to hunger, this is enough and we want South Sudanese to decide their fate right now,” Thon added.