National security services are detaining two Presbyterian pastors for speaking up against the looting of church properties.
The pastors have been in detention since May 19 without charges.Presbyterian Church Secretary-General John George told Bakhita Radio over the phone from Malakal that Idris Nalsus of the Arabic Presbyterian Church in Juba and Pastor David Gayen Okoy of the Methodist Church are under the national security arrest.
He said President Salva Kiir promised to look into the matter after the head of the Presbyterian Church in South Sudan met him over the issue.
Rev George said the Presbyterian Church does not know the reasons for arresting the two pastors and making it difficult to intervene.
He said the Presbyterian leadership assumes that the pastors were arrested for commenting on the looting of the Presbyterian Church in Pibor in 2012.
The Secretary-general said Pastor David once commented that the SPLA were responsible for the looting.
Rev George said the Church is worried because family members and the Church leadership are not allowed to visit the detainees.
Bakhita Radio could not reach the national security for comments.
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