A group of human rights defenders in South Sudan on Wednesday launched a campaign calling for tougher penalties for rapists in the country.
The campaign which involves media professionals was initiated after a five-year-old Abuk Garang was defiled and killed in Aweil Town of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State last week.
The group, which named its initiative “Junubeen Against Rape” in its founding statement on Wednesday in Juba, said: “We aim to achieve justice for the girl Abuk and all victims of rape in South Sudan by ensuring the prosecution of people involved in the brutal crime, and in the long term, the initiative aims to amend the text of Articles (247-248-249) of the Penal Code of 2008 ranging from 14 years in prison with a fine to a death penalty,” the statement read in part.
“We also propose a provision for compensation for the victim’s family, given that this is the only way to protect all South Sudanese children from falling under the grip of monsters and weak-minded people who take advantage of the state of legal liquidity to achieve their despicable intentions,” the group added.
The group also said they will engage in extensive awareness campaigns against the crime of rape and advocate for the rights of the child.
The Junubeen Against Rape initiative will hold vigils for victims, workshops, and public lectures to achieve the goal of protecting children in the country.
The group said it would send legal representatives to Aweil to ensure justice is served.