Africa-Press – South-Sudan. By Mabor Riak
Lakes State authorities have arrested and tortured 62 persons in place of their relatives suspected of committing crimes, the coordination office of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has said.
Daniel Laat Kon, CEPO’s coordinator in Lakes State said the unlawful arrests were recorded in seven counties including; Rumbek East, Rumbek Centre, Cueibet, Yirol West, Awerial, Rumbek North, and Wulu since last year.
“Yes, CEPO has documented 62 cases of proxy arrests, we have been following some of the cases from 2021 to 2022 and these cases have been happening. The cases of proxy arrests are ongoing in the community, in the counties, and even in the state headquarters,” Daniel Laat told Juba Monitor from Rumbek, Lakes State capital yesterday.
He said the detained relatives include mothers, sisters, brothers, fathers and wives of suspects wanted for various crimes by law authorities.He said some detainees were being in military detention facilities across the state.
“When I committed a crime for example, my mother, brother, sister or my wife and my father can be taken to prison on my behalf or absence and these are most cases we have registered and we are following up with these cases in Lakes State,” he stated.
Lakes State officials have not commented on the alleged proxy arrests and torture. Lakes State which has previously been hit by waves of intercommunal violence sparked by cattle theft and revenge killing, among other triggers, was accused of extra-judicial killings byUNMISS’ Human Rights Division in July 2021.
The rights watchdog said at least 13 people were arbitrarily executed between July at the instruction of state officials in Cueibet and Rumbek East counties last year.
The state government denied any extra-judicial killing. Daniel Laatsaid communities confirmed arrests of relatives of suspects made by the police and Criminal Investigation Department (CID)were common in their localities. He called on the state authorities to release the arrested relatives saying it violates their human rights.
“They said it is a way of protecting a family member when you are taken to prison or detained in the police and we have been arguing with them, that this is not the case because the more you detained somebody will not stop this cycle of crimes and I will not feel it as a someone who has committed a crime if someone is being detained on behalf,” he said.
“That is why we engage them in one on one meetings if we have rule of law forum and we raise such issues that are happening in Lakes State to inform the government that these are what are happening and the government must stop.”
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