The National Security Service Act (Amendment) Bill passed by legislators last week will entrench arbitrary detention and further repression by South Sudan’s National Security Service (NSS), the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan said today. They urged the President to return the bill to legislators in order to align it with South Sudan’s human rights obligations.

“If accepted by the President, these amendments to the National Security Service Act would signal that rights violations by this powerful institution are endorsed not just by the rest of government, but legislators as well,” said Yasmin Sooka, Chairperson of the Commission. “The Bill should be returned to legislators to work on amendments that align with the government’s commitment to scrap this institution’s arrest powers, which are systematically abused and unlawful.”

The Commission has previously reported in detail on human rights violations by the National Security Service, including the illegal practice of prolonged and arbitrary detentions without judicial oversight or accountability. Victims have been tortured, with many having died in detention. Rights violations have included extraordinary renditions of South Sudanese civil society members and political opponents from neighbouring countries, into National Security Service detention. Even over the past week, civil society leaders critical of government policies have been pursued and threatened with detention or worse.

“As South Sudan prepares for its first elections since independence, the citizenry must be able to exercise their civil and political rights without fear of retribution,” said Commissioner Barney Afako. “These security amendments were intended to open up civic space, but in their present form, their effect is the opposite.”

Section 54 of the 2014 National Security Service Act empowers officers to arrest and detain, without a warrant, any person suspected of committing an offence against the State. These offences are very broadly and loosely defined in section 7 of the Act, resulting in many people being arrested and detained for legitimate civic and political activities. Although any detainee must be brought before a judge within 24 hours, this rarely happens. Section 55 of the Act empowers officers to arrest after obtaining a warrant, but this provision is rarely used.

“In a democratic society, intelligence services should not and do not have powers of arrest and detention. The unchecked powers of the National Security Service are yet another manifestation of the lack of rule of law and any judicial oversight,” said Commissioner Carlos Castresana Fernández. “Courts lack independence, are chronically under-resourced, and thus unable to protect citizens against arbitrary detentions. In addition to ensuring the legislation complies with human rights law and constitutional protections, the Government must invest in a credible functioning judiciary.”

On 5 February 2024, South Sudan acceded to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which includes protection from arbitrary arrest and detentions, and requires that anyone arrested or detained be brought promptly before a judge.

The process of amending the 2014 National Security Service Act has been underway for over six years, with progress stalling due to disagreements about the arrest and detention powers of NSS officers. On 21 February 2023, media reports quoted the Minister of Cabinet Affairs announcing that the President and First-Vice President had agreed to remove all NSS powers of arrest. Government documents reviewed by the Commission show that on 24 March 2023, the Council of Ministers also resolved to abolish NSS arrest powers.

However, these positions were not reflected in the Amendment Bill sent to the Transitional National Legislative Assembly on 28 April 2023. And on 3 July 2024, during a heated session, a two-thirds majority of legislators passed the Bill, which retains the NSS powers to arrest and detain. Nonetheless, the President can return the Bill to legislators for revision, within 30 days. It is imperative that he does so, to ensure that South Sudan meets its human rights obligations to prevent further arbitrary arrests and detentions, to avoid further abuses, and to enable accountability regarding the National Security Services. 

Background: The Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan is an independent body mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council. First established in March 2016, it has been renewed annually since. Its three Commissioners are not UN staff, they are not renumerated for their work as Commissioners, and they serve independently in their capacity as experts. They are supported by a Secretariat based in Juba, South Sudan. The Commission is mandated to investigate the situation of human rights in South Sudan, and to make recommendations to prevent a deterioration of the situation, with a view to its improvement. The Commission is also mandated to determine and report the facts and circumstances of human rights violations and abuses, including by clarifying responsibility for crimes under national and or international law. The Commission’s findings are informed by independent interviews conducted with victims and survivors of human rights violations, as well as witnesses, service providers, and related experts and stakeholders.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Independent human rights experts* today welcomed the decision by the newly elected UK Government to scrap the policy to transfer asylum seekers who meet certain conditions to Rwanda for asylum processing.

“We are encouraged to learn that the UK plans to reassume State responsibility for receiving and assessing individual asylum applications domestically,” the experts said.

“This is an important step to ensure the right to asylum and protection of the human rights of all migrants and refugees seeking protection in the UK, regardless of how they arrive.”

The UK Government first announced a new Migration and Economic Development Partnership with the Government of Rwanda (UK-Rwanda Asylum Partnership) in 2022. In November 2023, the UK Supreme Court held that the UK-Rwanda Asylum Partnership was unlawful on the basis that Rwanda could not be considered to be a safe third country owing to its past practice of refoulement. In response to that ruling, the two Governments subsequently signed the UK-Rwanda Asylum Partnership Treaty on 5 December 2023, which was later ratified by the UK Parliament in April 2024. The UK Government also published the Safety of Rwanda Bill in December 2023 to require all decision-makers in the UK to conclusively treat Rwanda as a safe third country, which the UK Parliament passed into law on 23 April 2024.

Since the UK-Rwanda policy was announced in 2022, UNHCR, OHCHR, and several UN human rights mechanisms have repeatedly raised concerns that the controversial asylum arrangement between the UK and Rwanda was not in accordance with the UK’s obligations under both international human rights and refugee law.

“Two years after the initial announcement of the UK-Rwanda Asylum Partnership, it is a relief that the UK Government has finally made a courageous decision to abort the controversial plan,” the experts said. “The plan would have externalised the UK’s asylum obligations and posed serious human rights risks for migrants, asylum seekers and refugees and would have also undermined the international protection system more broadly.”

The experts said they look forward to learning about new measures and reforms in migration and asylum governance in the UK.

“We reiterate our call to the UK Government to ensure that border governance measures, including those aimed at addressing unsafe and irregular arrivals of migrants, fully respect international human rights and refugee law,” they said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The Government of Chad – with support from WFP, the World Bank and other partners – has launched its national emergency response plan to meet the immediate food and nutrition needs of one million of the most vulnerable people across eight provinces during the June-August lean season – when food is scarce and hunger peaks in between harvests.

Supported by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the World Bank, the European Commission, Japan, and the United States of America, this response plan involves the distribution of food, seeds, and cash transfers to families most exposed to hunger in the provinces of Ennedi East, Wadi Fira, Ouaddaï, Sila, Logone Oriental, Lac, Kanem, and Barh El Gazel. This intervention will be complemented by the provision of nutritional supplements for children under two, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.

“Our country is facing unprecedented food insecurity, exacerbated by multiple crises including a massive influx of refugees and insufficient agricultural production due to the effects of climate change,” said Dr. Abdelmadjid Abderahim Mahamat, Minister of Public Health.

“The large-scale response the government is launching today with funding from the World Bank, the European Commission, the people of Japan, and USAID, will enable WFP to distribute vital assistance to our citizens in urgent need”.

Chad is experiencing its fifth consecutive year of severe food insecurity with 3.4 million people projected to be unable to meet their basic food and nutrition needs during the lean season, according to the March 2024 Cadre Harmonisé food security analysis. This represents a 240 percent increase on the same period in 2020 when food stocks are typically depleted and hunger peaks before the next harvest. Malnutrition has also reached alarming levels, with approximately 1.4 million cases of acute malnutrition in children under five reported in the country.

The food security and nutrition situation is worsened by structural and overlapping factors, including the negative impact of conflicts, rising food prices, and climate shocks such as floods and droughts.

“Our teams are on the ground and doing everything possible to meet the immediate needs of those hardest hit by this crisis. It requires a major emergency response by all partners,” said Koffi Akakpo, WFP’s interim Representative for Chad.

“To mitigate the future impact of the increasingly severe and recurrent crises, WFP calls for substantial investments in sustainable solutions that strengthen long-term food security, improve agricultural productivity, support resilience to climate shocks, and reinforce the purchasing power of the most vulnerable populations,” Akakpo insisted.

“By mobilizing more than $100 million to help the government cope with the food emergency, the World Bank is working to improve the living conditions of the Chadian people, who are facing several shocks at once. This includes the US$52 million channeled through the WFP ” says Rasit Pertev, the World Bank’s Resident Representative in Chad.

In Chad, WFP has been working on innovative and transformative long-term solutions against hunger and is committed to supporting national programmes that strengthen community resilience to crises through social protection and investments in inclusive and resilient food systems.

Since 2018, WFP’s integrated resilience programme has reached 787,000 people in 282 villages across 14 regions and has contributed to restoring degraded land for food and fodder production, promoting children’s education through school canteens and nutritional assistance, improving food access, and increasing incomes. Since the start of this programme, WFP has recovered and developed land across the country equivalent to 46,400 football fields.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Food Programme (WFP).

13th June 2024, marked a significant milestone in Lesotho’s healthcare history as Maseru District Hospital and Eye Clinic, a specialized hospital equipped with advanced medical equipment and resources designed to provide top-notch healthcare services to the Basotho people, opened its doors to the public. This was borne as a result of a collaborative effort between the Government of Lesotho, and the Chinese Government with technical support from the World Health Organisation(WHO).

Speaking during the inauguration the Prime Minister, Rt Hon. Sam Matekane said “This state-of-the-art facility is a testament to our shared vision and commitment to enhancing health services in Lesotho”.

“I am convinced that this facility is equipped to provide quality outpatient and inpatient health services to Basotho thereby significantly reducing the need for Basotho to receive medical treatment outside the country. This hospital among others will provide services at the level of a regional hospital,” he says.

The Minister of Health, Hon. Selibe Mochoboroane also commits to improved healthcare at the new hospital saying, “I want to promise Basotho nation that they are going to receive the best healthcare treatment in this milestone. The equipment installed in this hospital compels us to provide the best services possible”.

In her remarks, the WHO Country Representative, Dr. Mary Stephen highlighted the importance of the Maseru District Hospital and its impact on the region’s healthcare system.

“This development is set to remove the need for our citizens to seek medical treatment abroad, ensuring that high-quality care is available right here at home. In addition to its clinical services, the hospital boasts of training facilities and dormitories for trainee doctors and nurses, fostering the next generation of healthcare professionals in Lesotho”, says Dr. Stephen

She expressed WHO’s commitment to supporting the Government of Lesotho to provide quality healthcare services to the people. “We are keen to collaborate and continue providing technical support to the Ministry of Health in Lesotho as it endeavors to improve healthcare services for all.”

In a related development, efforts have been made to improve service delivery in the mountainous terrains of Mokhotlong and Thaba Tseka districts through the integrated health service delivery model, supported by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO).

 Mokhotlong, with its 102,184 residents, and Thaba Tseka, home to 137,347 people, are characterized by high mountains and deep valleys, making travel arduous. The health facilities were scattered and poorly coordinated, leading to gaps in care and services. Communities faced low immunization rates, frequent infections, and high dropout rates for treatments like tuberculosis (TB).

The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with WHO, envisioned a health system where services were seamlessly integrated and accessible to all, regardless of geographical barriers. The goal was to ensure that every individual received continuous care, from health promotion and disease prevention to diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.

WHO and other partners conducted training for frontline workers. 42 healthcare professionals from Mokhotlong and Thaba Tseka districts learned about integrated service delivery, focusing on coordinating care across different levels and services. This training equipped the health workers with the skills and knowledge needed to provide comprehensive, people-centered care.

 “With this integrated health service delivery, there has been improved access to healthcare in this community. In effect, the District Health Management Team got transport from Lesotho Highlands Development Authority to support Molikaliko Health Centre to provide integrated services at Taung village in celebration of Nurses Week. Taung is an hour’s drive from Molikaliko Health Centre”, says Lineo Mati, a nurse in the Mokhotlong district.

The Ministry of Health and WHO’s efforts have not only improved health outcomes but also transformed communities, making essential medical services more accessible and equitable.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Lesotho.