More than 200 members of the South Sudanese Civil Society Forum, and the South Sudan Women’s Coalition in the High-Level Revitalization Forum, appeal to President Salva Kiir Mayardit to order for the release of James Gatdet Dak, former First Vice President Dr Riek Marchar Tenny’ spokesperson.
On February 12, 2018, a court in Juba sentenced Gatdet, to death by hanging and to 20 years imprisonment.
‘Gatdet was unlawfully deported to South Sudan in 2016 by Kenyan authorities after his remarks following the dismissal of the force Commander of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, who was a Kenyan national’, say the members.
‘This sentence bluntly violates the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, CoHA, signed between the Transitional Government of National Unity and opposition groups on December 21, 2018’, the members add.
They say the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement calls for release of political detainees particularly relating to the current conflict in the country.
‘At a time when South Sudanese are engaging in a peace process to end this devastating conflict in our country, we believe that Mr. Gatdet’s sentence will not help to create conducive environment for the peace process’ the members argue.
They add that Gatdet sentence will only reduce citizens’ confidence and hope in the peace process and intentions of the South Sudan leaders to restore genuine peace and stability in the country.
‘In the spirit of the peace process and in accordance with the provisions of the CoHA on political detainees, we the undersigned civil society organizations in the SSCSF appeal to your Excellency the President to order the release of Mr. Gatdet and all other political detainees in the country’, the members stress.