Joint human rights’ organizations including Amnesty International, Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project, International Federation for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch and South Sudan Law Society are calling on South Sudan warring parties and IGAD mediators to exclude amnesty for crimes under international law.
In a statement the groups demand the warring parties and mediators to support the establishment of a vetting system to ensure South Sudanese military and security personnel with evidence of serious human rights violations do not remain in command.
The statement calls on South Sudan government to agree to the Rome Statute and declare granting the international Criminal Court or ICC jurisdiction over crimes during the conflict.
The rights’ groups demand for thorough, impartial and effective investigations and prosecutions of all those suspected of criminal responsibility for crimes committed in violation of international law without recourse to death penalty.
The statement emphasizes the importance of the speedy public release of the final report of the African Union Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan.
The groups also demand establishment of a Special Rapporteur on South Sudan to monitor and publicly report on violations of international humanitarian law and make recommendations for achieving effective accountability for past and ongoing crimes.