---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Ashworth <[email protected]> Date: Sun, Jul 24, 2016 at 10:27 AM Subject: [sudans-john-ashworth] Amnesty International: 1 DEAD, 2 RELEASED, 30 STILL DETAINED To: Group <[email protected]>
URGENT ACTION: ONE DEAD, two released, 30 still detained By Amnesty International, 22 July 2016, Index number: AFR 65/4494/2016 Loreom Joseph Longie who had been arbitrarily detained at the National Security Service (NSS) headquarters in Jebel neighbourhood since September 2014, passed away on 17 July. Two other detainees Benjamin Taban and Joseph Ngec have been released. 30 other men remain arbitrarily detained at the NSS headquarters. Loreom Joseph Longie, 36 years-old, died in the early morning of 17 July while undergoing treatment at Juba Teaching Hospital. He had been taken to the hospital on 14 July by NSS officers. Amnesty International has been informed that poor conditions at the NSS detention facility—including physical abuse, insufficient food and medical care—may have contributed to his death. He was said to be suffering from a tapeworm infection that went untreated and caused liver damage. NSS officers arrested Loreom Joseph in late September 2014 in Kapoeta, Eastern Equatoria State. He was detained in Kapoeta for three days, during which he was interrogated about suspected links with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-In Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) and subjected to torture and other ill-treatment. NSS officers beat him severely, pierced his testicles with needles, and dripped molten plastic on to his skin. He was then transferred to Juba and detained at the NSS headquarters in the Jebel neighbourhood until his death. He spent 22 months in NSS detention, without being charged or presented in court. Two other detainees, Benjamin Taban and Joseph Ngec were released in early June. 30 other men remain arbitrarily detained at the NSS headquarters and have been denied the right to be brought promptly before a judge and the right to challenge the lawfulness of their detention. Some of these detainees are being held incommunicado, without any access to family members or the outside world. Please write immediately in English, Arabic or your own language: - Urging the South Sudanese authorities to either charge each of the 30 men with a recognizable offence, consistent with international law, or immediately release them; - Urging them to ensure that the 30 men are not subjected to torture and other ill-treatment while in detention; - Urging them to grant the 30 men access to adequate medical care, access to lawyers of their own choosing, and also allow visits from their families; - Calling on them to initiate prompt, effective and impartial investigations into NSS detention practices, including enforced disappearances, deaths in custody, torture and other ill-treatment. Additional Information Amnesty International has documented an increase in violations committed by the NSS and other security agencies since conflict began in mid-December 2013. Cases of enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, extra-judicial killings and prolonged detention have been on the rise, with reports of torture and other ill-treatment while in custody. Amnesty International is concerned that in addition to these 30 men, there are others who are arbitrarily detained not only at the NSS headquarters in Juba but also in other NSS or military places of detention across the country. Detainees are fed a monotonous diet, and sometimes only eat once a day. They sleep on the floor and do not have access to adequate medical care. Some have been beaten, especially during interrogation or as a form of punishment. These poor conditions amount to ill-treatment. The NSS Act of 2014 grants the NSS sweeping powers to arrest and detain, without ensuring adequate judicial oversight or safeguards against abuse of these powers. The Act does not specify that detainees may only be held in official places of detention or guarantee basic due process rights, such as the right to counsel or to be tried within a reasonable period of time. The law effectively gives a carte blanche to the NSS to continue and extend its longstanding pattern of arbitrary detention, with total impunity. Name: Alison Mogga Tadeo, Aloro John, Andria Baambe, Angelo Banaveso, Ayume Dada, Chandiga Felix, Daniel Bakumba, Davide Peter, Eli Duku Nimaya, Emilio Paul, George Livio Bahara, Gwagbwe Christopher, John Mboliako, Jorem Eseru, Justin Yasir, Justine Peter, Justine Wanawila, Kennedy Kenyi, Lado James, Lokolong Joseph, Martin Augustino, Michael Sokiri, Mike Tyson, Ochaya Godfrey Saverio, Ocitti Richard Okumu, Otihu Lawrence, Paul Baba, Richard Otti, Sokiri Felix Wani, Tartisio Oshini Elizabeth Deng South Sudan Researcher Amnesty International +254 739354262 <[email protected]> END ______________________ John Ashworth [email protected] +254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile) +211 919 695 362 (South Sudan mobile) +44 787 976 8030 (UK mobile) +88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone) Skype: jashworth1 PO Box 52002 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya This is a personal e-mail address and the contents do not necessarily reflect the views of any organisation -- -- The content of this message does not necessarily reflect John Ashworth's views. 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