South Sudan's National Security Services on Sunday arrested more than 10 youths from Gogrial State during an event organized by Gogrial authorities at Freedom Hall in Juba, a youth activist said.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday, the Secretary-General of the Gogrial Intellectuals’ Union, Zachariah Makuac said security arrested 13 youth including one woman after they attended an event called by the state governor. 

“The chairman of Gogrial Youth Union in Juba Nila Achiek Mabor, the head of youth in the state Tor Bol Nyiel, and information secretary for the Gogrial Intellectuals Union Albino Kuac Deng,” he revealed.

Makuac claimed that Albino Kuac, one of those detained, was badly beaten by security forces. He said the youths were arrested allegedly for criticizing the state government.

He also accused the state coordinator in Juba, saying he had organized the event to trap the youth.

Meanwhile, Gogrial information minister Edward Yier Yier confirmed the arrests and accused the youth of wrongly criticizing the state government on social media.

“They were arrested by the police for distracting the occasion at Freedom Hall and they are also accusing the state government falsely on their social media,” he said.

He, however, claimed that only seven youth were arrested distancing the state government from the arrests.