ctivist Samuel Garang Dut at the court premises on May 20, 2021. [Photo: Radio Tamazuj]

Juba: Activist vows to persist following release from detention

Samuel Garang Dut, a prominent civil activist, has emerged from ten months of confinement within the military intelligence detention cells in Juba, with an unwavering determination to press on in his struggle for civil rights and governmental accountability.

Samuel Garang Dut, a prominent civil activist, has emerged from ten months of confinement within the military intelligence detention cells in Juba, with an unwavering determination to press on in his struggle for civil rights and governmental accountability.

“I want to give thanks to the government and all those who have been calling for my release and the charge that was levelled against me was untrue because it originated from people who have a problem with me in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State. I am free now. I am not a rebel figure as they claimed and I am ready now to rejoin my normal activities,” said Garang in an exclusive interview with Radio Tamazuj on Monday.

Samuel Garang Dut is known as a staunch critic of the administration in his hometown of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State. In 2021, he faced an eight-month jail sentence after being accused of defaming state governor Tong Akeen Ngor.

Having been initially incarcerated in Aweil and subsequently re-arrested in Juba, this time on charges of purportedly aligning himself with armed rebel leader Gen. Paul Malong Awan, Samuel Garang Dut has once again been set free.

In an interview, Dut shared, “We were over 100 people and all of us who were under the same case were released together on date August 5. No one was left in the detention, some got arrested in Aweil and I was arrested here in Juba.”

The activist’s spouse, Achol Athiang, confirmed the release of her husband, expressing her joy and commending the government for this action. She recounted, “He was freed on Saturday, 5th August and he called me telling me that he was freed. I am happy indeed and I applaud the government for releasing my husband who is in Juba.”

Santino Deng Ngong, the Executive Director of the Aweil Community-Based Organizations Forum (ACBOF), warmly welcomed the release of Samuel Garang Dut and his fellow detainees, praising the government’s decision to terminate their prolonged detention.

Deng remarked, “It is a great achievement from that government to release these people without charges. They were arrested for almost a year, and we, as civil society organizations, were not happy because there was no action taken to talk about this since they were accused of being rebels, a move that blocked everyone’s intervention and we were waiting to see such a result of their release.”

Despite the release of these individuals who were held in detention for extended periods in both Aweil and Juba, no immediate comments were available from national or state government officials regarding the matter.

South Sudan’s constitution requires detainees to be produced before a court within 24 hours. Despite this, authorities routinely detain suspects for long periods, including during investigations and subsequent trials.