Two recently detained politicians were released by the government of South Sudan as a gesture toward peace negotiators. The development comes at the end of an emergency summit called by East African states on Friday in Nairobi to discuss the South Sudan crisis.
SSTV, the state-run broadcaster, announced the two release of Peter Adwok Nyaba, former minister of higher education, and Deng Deng Akon, the former director of the office of ousted vice president Riek Machar.
The latter was not among the 11 ‘high-level’ detainees whose release was called for by mediators, nor had his arrested even been reported.
Salva Kiir’s national security service has been holding at least 11 leading SPLM politicians since 15 December after they dissented during party leadership meetings. They are accused of participating in a coup plot.
Radio Tamazuj was unable yet to corroborate another report by Reuters news agency that another 8 of the 11 detainees would be freed. The others at this stage are presumed to be still in custody.
Reuters quoted the US special envoy to South Sudan as saying that with the exception of three politicians, “the others will be released very shortly.”
But presidential spokesman Ateny Wek told Radio Tamazuj earlier on Friday that investigations of the detainees for complicity in an alleged coup plot will not be halted.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyata and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemarian Desalegne asked the South Sudanese president to release the detainees during a visit they made to Juba on Thursday.
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