South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has signed into law three bills, including the Cybercrime and Computer Misuse Act 2026, state media reported Wednesday.
The other laws assented to are the Southern Sudan Audit Chamber (Amendment) Act 2026 and the Wildlife Conservation and Protected Areas Act 2026.
In November 2025, the Transitional National Legislative Assembly passed the cybercrime legislation with amendments. The government says the law is intended to address online crimes and curb harmful content on social media, including hate speech.
The act criminalizes offenses such as unauthorized data transmission, hacking, espionage, cyberterrorism and economic sabotage. It also outlaws the creation of fake websites and social media accounts, the publication of false information and indecent content, online impersonation and gender-based harassment.
Under the legislation, minor offenses are punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 1 million South Sudanese pounds.
The law also provides for the establishment of a national cybercrime department within the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. The unit was previously under the National Communication Authority.
Despite government assurances, civil society groups and rights advocates raised concerns when the bill was passed in November, warning it could be used to restrict freedom of expression.
Information Minister Ateny Wek Ateny said the act would strengthen the detection, prevention, investigation and prosecution of computer-related crimes.
He said the Audit Chamber amendment sets out procedures for auditing and reporting on the accounts of national government ministries, institutions, agencies, departments and corporations that receive or spend public funds.
Ateny added that the Wildlife Conservation and Protected Areas Act establishes a regulatory framework to govern wildlife conservation and the management of protected areas, aiming to ensure the sustainable use of natural resources.
The signing ceremony was attended by senior government officials, including Assembly Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba, Presidential Affairs Minister Africano Made, and Information Minister Ateny Wek Ateny.
The full texts of the laws were not immediately made available to the media.