Peter Biar Ajak
Photo Credit: www.freepeterbiar.org
August 2, 2018
Silva Kiir Mayardit
President of the Republic of South Sudan
c/o Permanent Mission of the Republic of South Sudan to the United Nations
336 East 45th Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10017, USA
Obuto Mamur Mete
Minister for National Security in the Office of the President
c/o Permanent Mission of the Republic of South Sudan to the United Nations
336 East 45th Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10017, USA
Your Excellency
Re: Detention and Disappearance of Peter Biak Ajak
Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada (LRWC) is a committee of lawyers, students and academics who campaign internationally for advocacy rights, advocates in danger, and on rule of law issues. We also engage in legal research and education about international human rights law. I am a lawyer and a partner of a law firm in Canada, Cohen Highley LLP, and I am writing to you to ask that you intervene with respect to proceedings involving the above named individual.
On July 28, 2018 Mr. Peter Biar Ajak, prominent academic and activist and chair of the South Sudan Young Leaders Forum, was arrested by the National Security Service (NSS) at the Juba International Airport as he was preparing to travel to Awiel for a youth forum he organized. Amnesty International reports that this arrears is believed to be linked to the youth forum. Mr. Ajak was presented with an arrest warrant bearing a date that was one week old. He has since been held at the NSS headquarters in JUBA with no access to a lawyer. Mr. Ajak has not been brought before a court and the reason for his detention is unclear.
We urge the authorities of South Sudan to do the following:
- Immediately and unconditionally release Peter Biar Ajak;
- In the event that he is charged with a criminal offence recognized as legitimate under international human rights laws and standards, ensure that his rights to the presumption of innocence, freedom from arbitrary detention, pre-trial release and fair trial rights are scrupulously respected;
- Make public the reasons for his arrest;
- Ensure that Peter Biar Ajak has not been and is not subjected to torture;
- Grant Peter Biar Ajak immediate access to lawyers of his own choosing; and,
- Comply with your obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), particularly the obligations to respect, protect and fulfill the rights of freedom of association and expression.
Yours Very Truly,
Joe Hoffer
Sudan Monitor, Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada
Copied to:
His Excellency Garang Diing Akuong
Ambassador for the Republic of South Sudan
1015 31st Street NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20007, USA
Fax: 1 202 293 7941
