By Lodu William Odiya
The National Civil Society Coalition (NCSC) has called for urgent amendment of the National Security Service Act.
In a statement issued yesterday, Bol Deng Bol, Chairperson of the National Civil Society Coalition, expressed disappointment with the blatant misuse of the repressive National Security Service Act, 2014, as amended in 2024, following the recent arrest of a youth leader, Willy Angok Ngor.
“The National Civil Society Coalition (NCSC) would like to make a stern reminder to the Transitional National Legislative Assembly about the urgency of amending the security law,” the statement partly read.
Deng stated that although the youth leader was eventually released, the unnecessary use of articles 54 and 55 to arrest and detain alleged suspects by the security intelligence institution is a clear threat to civic and political spaces and human rights.
“As catered for under the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan and international human rights standards, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects [against] arbitrary arrests and detention without judicial oversight,” the statement continued.
He underscored that the essence of the developing democratic exercises in the country, such as the constitutional-making process, civic and voter education, and subsequent elections’ key milestones, would not be adequately realised if freedom of expression is restricted this much.
“We are humbly calling on the lawmakers to make necessary amendments to the act in question before the end of July by removing articles 54 and 55 and aligning the security institution with the constitutional intelligence mandate of information gathering, analysis, and advice to relevant authorities,” it further added.
He emphasised that in that way, the Constitution would become supreme as it ought to be, and the respect, protection, and promotion of human rights would be better safeguarded.