Rights Group Accuses South Sudan of Summary Executions

Human Rights Watch has accused South Sudan security forces of summarily executing at least eight suspected criminals, including two children, as part of their anti-crime campaign in Warrap state. The watch dog says the executions were apparently carried out on the orders of Governor Aleu Ayieny Aleu, and is calling on authorities to immediately halt and ensure justice for the unlawful killings, which it says constitute serious violations of international law.

"If Governor Aleu authorised summary killings instead of legal proceedings against suspected criminals, he is abusing his power and undermining the rule of law. President Kiir should ensure credible and transparent investigations into these serious violations of the right to life, bring those responsible to account and ensure compensation for the victims' families", Nyagoah Tut Pur, South Sudan researcher at Human Rights Watch said.

Warrap state, in northern South Sudan, has perennially experienced violence linked to intercommunal conflict and cattle raiding since the country's independence in 2011. During 2020, there was an escalation in violence against civilians, including killings, sexual violence, and abductions, as political elites manipulated local rivalries. President Salva Kiir appointed Governor Aleu in April 2021 with a mandate to, among other things, curb violence and crime.