UN Human Rights Council – 55th session
Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on the report of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan
Delivered by Sigrid Lipott
Thank you, Mr. President.
CIVICUS and its South Sudanese partners welcome the report of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan. The Commission’s mandate remains crucial as the human rights situation and the civil and political space continue to deteriorate.
The status of civic space in the country is dire and core civic freedoms remain under attack. Ongoing human rights violations and abuses include arbitrary arrests, and intimidation of, threats against, and harassment of civil society actors.
Media outlets continue to face blockades when reporting on conflict-related issues, subjecting journalists to ongoing challenges and risks for exposing cases of grave human rights violations and corruption. This results in de facto restrictions on the practice of journalism and, ultimately, in self-censorship.
Repression of civic groups and peaceful protesters by authorities continue with impunity. Many have been subjected to unlawful detentions, extrajudicial executions, as well as reprisals and abductions in the country and abroad under charges of allegedly abusing government officials. Freedom of association remains severely restricted as civil society organisations are subjected to raids by the National Security Service. The high levels of localised violence and conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence, as well as violence against women including in the context of reprisals are of great concern.
In light of the appalling human rights violations, ongoing restrictions on civic space and absence of an enabling and inclusive environment for citizen participation, the Commission on Human Rights is more important than ever as it remains the only mechanism able to gather evidence of and report on human rights violations and provide recommendations for necessary action with a view to ensuring accountability.
We urge this Council to extend the mandate of the Commission to ensure continued scrutiny on the human rights situation in the country and to enable it to comprehensively report on the election and transition process.
We thank you.
