• Urgent Action

Urgent Action: Member of Peace Agreement Body Detained (South Sudan: UA 105.20)

June 23, 2020

Kanybil Noon, a South Sudanese civil society activist in his 30s and a representative of civil society on the Strategic Defense and Security Review Board (SDSR) of the peace agreement, is arbitrarily detained at the National Security Service (NSS) headquarters, known as ‘Blue House’, without access to his family and lawyer. His detention followed his arbitrary arrest by the NSS in Juba on 29 May 2020.

TAKE ACTION:
  1. Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.
  2. Click here to let us know the actions you took on Urgent Action 105.20. It’s important to report because we share the total number with the officials we are trying to persuade and the people we are trying to help.
Salva Kiir Mayardit President of the Republic of South Sudan Twitter: @RepSouthSudan @PresSalva
Ambassador Philip Jada Natana Embassy of the Republic of South Sudan 1015 31st Street NW Suite 300, Washington DC 20007 Phone: 202 293 7940 I Fax: 202 293 7941 Contact form: https://bit.ly/2MxNx4r Salutation: Dear Ambassador
    Your Excellency President Salva Kiir, I am writing to bring your attention to the case of Kanybil Noon, a South Sudanese youth activist and a member of the Strategic Defense and Security Review Board of the 2018 revitalized peace agreement, who was arbitrarily arrested by the National Security Service (NSS) in Juba on 29 May 2020. Kanybil is currently detained at the NSS headquarters, known as ‘Blue House’, without access to his family and lawyer. It is unclear whether Kanybil has been informed of any charges against him. In late 2019, Kanybil Noon was charged with defamation, a case initiated by the Director of the Internal Security Bureau of the South Sudan National Security Service, Akol Koor, in connection with Kanybil’s writings on Facebook and a letter addressed to the President of South Sudan in which he critically expressed himself about Akol Koor. At the time of Kanybil’s arrest on 29 May 2020, this defamation case was still ongoing. I urge you to ensure that Kanybil Noon, is released immediately, or handed over to the police, brought to court and charged with a recognizable criminal offense in accordance with international law and standards; ensure that Kanybil Noon is granted regular access to his family, any healthcare he may require from a qualified medical practitioner, and his lawyer; and ensure that Kanybil Noon is not subjected to torture or other ill-treatment while in detention. Yours sincerely, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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