Athieng J. Aleu, the wife of a Bor-based journalist who has been detained by the National Security Service (NSS) has made an emotional appeal over the prolonged incarceration of her husband and accused security operatives of severely mistreating and violating his rights.
She recounted how her husband, Abraham Aleu Anyieth, was forcefully apprehended nearly a month ago by a combined force of the police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) National Security Service (NSS) and said there is no legal basis for his detention.
Since his arrest on 29 June in the JongleI State capital, Bor, she claims he has endured torture and been denied essential healthcare and basic services.
“This treatment is inhumane and he does not deserve such horrific treatment,” Athieng lamented. “The father of my children has not committed any crime. If there are allegations against him, why has he not been presented before a court of law?”
According to local authorities, the journalist played a role in the recent civil unrest in Bor, where public sector employees protested against delayed salaries and the deteriorating economic conditions.
Athieng’s distress extends beyond her husband’s plight to the economic hardships faced by their family in his absence.
“My children are suffering. Nobody is helping me provide for them,” she said. “Why is the government subjecting us to more suffering by detaining my husband without justification? I am upset and deeply disappointed.”
The arrest has sparked an outcry from local human rights watchdogs, UN agencies, and the South Sudan Civil Society Forum, who condemn it as a blatant violation of civic and political freedoms. They have called on South Sudanese authorities to uphold democratic principles, ensure transparency, and safeguard the rights of all citizens.
Responding to mounting criticism and narrowing civic space, Amnesty International urged President Salva Kiir to reject the recently passed security bill, asserting that grants unchecked powers to the National Security Service to arrest people without warrants, which could lead to abuse against civilians. The rights body insists that any security legislation must align with the Constitution and international human rights standards, restricting the NSS to intelligence gathering, analysis, and advisory roles.