JUBA, South Sudan – Youth leaders from the Bahr el Ghazal region have urged President Salva Kiir to release 18 detained individuals or take them to competent courts, raising concerns over prolonged detention ahead of December elections.
In a joint statement issued in Juba on Wednesday, the youth leaders called for an urgent review of the cases of former government officials and others reportedly held at the National Security Service’s Blue House detention facility or under house arrest.
They said some detainees had spent nearly two years in custody without publicly communicated charges or a transparent judicial determination.
“We humbly appeal to Your Excellency to direct an urgent review of the individual cases, those without lawful grounds for continued detention to be released, while those facing allegations should be formally presented before competent courts and afforded due process,” the statement said.
The appeal comes days after Gen. Mawien Mathiang Gor, chairperson of the Awan Pajok Community, warned against calls for the release of former vice-president Benjamin Bol Mel, accusing him of involvement in an alleged plot to overthrow Kiir.
The youth leaders said their intervention was not intended to defend or condemn any individual but to press for the consistent application of the law.
“We are not seeking to determine anyone guilty or innocent. We are calling for justice and the application of the law without discrimination,” they said.
Among those named in the statement are former National Security Service chief Gen. Akol Koor Kuc and Bol Mel, a businessman and a former vice-president for the Economic Cluster.
Kuc was dismissed as head of the service’s Internal Security Bureau in October 2024 and is under house arrest. Bol Mel was also placed under house arrest following his dismissal in November last year.
Both men come from the Bahr el Ghazal region, whose youth organizations joined the appeal.
The group cited Articles 12 and 14 of South Sudan’s Transitional Constitution, referring to protections for personal liberty and equality before the law. It called on the government to uphold constitutional safeguards and ensure that detention and prosecution follow lawful procedures.
Beyond the detainees’ cases, the statement raised concerns about reported intimidation and harassment of young people who peacefully express their views.
“Asking questions is not a vice, peaceful advocacy is not hostility, and demanding justice is not a threat to national security,” the youth leaders said, urging security agencies to respect civil liberties.
They also called for an inclusive environment ahead of the general elections scheduled for Dec. 22, 2026, saying citizens should be able to vote, campaign and participate in political activities freely and peacefully.
The leaders warned against discrimination and divisions based on community identity, arguing that national unity depended on equal treatment and respect for all South Sudanese communities.
They urged Kiir to recognize youth organizations and community leaders as partners in peacebuilding, accountability and national development.
South Sudan has endured years of conflict and political instability, and the upcoming elections are a key test of the country’s transition towards democratic governance.
The youth leaders said the country could not afford to return to division and confrontation, calling instead for dialogue, justice and stronger public confidence in national institutions.
The statement was signed by James Maluac Malith, chairperson of the Bahr el Ghazal Youth Union; Justine Majur Majak, chairperson of the Lakes State Youth Union; and Wol Deng Wol, chairperson of the Aweil Youth Union.
Other signatories included Joseph Gabriel Kuch, chairperson of the Luo Bahr el Ghazal Youth Association; Monytuch Mayol Changath, secretary-general and representative of the Abyei Youth Association chairperson in Juba; and Madut Gabriel Thokriel, chairperson of the Tonj Youth Union and Warrap representative.