South Sudan’s Authorities Extrajudicially Hang Four People – Amnesty International

October 11, 2019 Amnesty International, Civil War, News, South Sudan

Emblem of Amnesty International (source:unknown)

Oct 11th, 2019 (SSNN)-Human rights group, Amnesty International, has accused South Sudanese authorities of extrajudicial killing of four inmates, including a child who was underage upon his arrest.

“Amnesty International expresses concerns about the execution of four people in South Sudan on 27 and 30 September. One of those executed was a child at the time of the crime. On 10 September 2015, the High Court in Lakes state, convicted a child aged about 17 for murder and sentenced him to death. He was executed by hanging on 30 September 2019 in Wau Central Prison. The imposition of the death sentence and execution violate South Sudanese laws and the country’s obligations under international law,” said the rights group.

According to the South Sudan 2011 Transitional Constitution, the use of the death penalty against a person under 18 at the time of arrest is a serous violation of human rights and its contrary to international human rights laws and standards.

The group issued this statement
entitled “Execution spree continues as four people hanged in September” on Thursday while marking the World Day Against the Death Penalty.

The report highlighted a series of human rights violations committed by the government in different parts of the country.

“Amnesty International also documented the execution by hanging of two other men in Juba Central Prison on 27 September 2019. Also, on 30 September 2019, Wau Central Prison authorities executed a man by hanging. The High Court in Tonj State had sentenced him to death on 29 November 2018 for first degree murder.”

Amnesty International said the number of death sentences carried out in September was the highest documented since the country attained independence from Sudan in 2011.

“With the four executions that took place in September 2019, the total number of executions carried out in state prisons in 2019 amounts to 11 – the highest recorded number in South Sudan, in any year, since the country’s independence in 2011.”