URGENT ACTION

SECURITY AGENT ILL-TREATED IN DETENTION

Ding Ding Mou, a South Sudanese security agent, is detained at the Riverside detention centre – notorious for its extremely poor conditions and incidents of torture and other forms of ill-treatment. He was arbitrarily arrested by the National Security Service (NSS) in Juba on 31 May. He was first detained at the NSS headquarters, known as ‘Blue House’ for eight days.

TAKE ACTION: WRITE AN APPEAL IN YOUR OWN WORDS OR USE THIS MODEL LETTER

President of the Republic of South Sudan 
Salva Kiir Mayardit
Juba, South Sudan 
Twitter: @RepSouthSudan and @PresSalva
   
Your Excellency President Salva Kiir,

Ding Ding Mou, a South Sudanese staff member of the National Security Service (NSS), was arbitrarily arrested by the NSS in Juba on 31 May. He was first detained at the NSS headquarters, known as ‘Blue House’ for eight days before being transferred to the Riverside detention centre – notorious for its extremely poor conditions and incidents of torture and other forms of ill-treatment – on 8 June. 
Ding Ding Mou has been denied family visits and access to a lawyer. He has also not been informed of any charges against him. 
Amnesty International has received credible reports that he is detained at Riverside detention centre where he is being held in a small room described as a mosquito infested “cage” where he sleeps leaning on the wall and is forced to drink water from the toilet. Amnesty International is concerned that his health condition has deteriorated over the past month due to conditions of detention and there are concerns that he is not receiving the medical treatment he needs.

I urge you to:

•	Ensure that Ding Ding Mou, is either charged with a recognizable criminal offence in accordance with international law and standards or is released immediately; 
•	Ensure that Ding Ding Mou is not subjected to torture or other ill-treatment while in detention; 
Ensure that Ding Ding Mou is granted regular access to his family, any healthcare he may require from a qualified medical practitioner and a lawyer of his choice

Yours sincerely,

Additional information

Since the start of South Sudan’s internal armed conflict in December 2013, hundreds of people, mostly men, have been detained under the authority of the National Security Service (NSS) and Military Intelligence Directorate in various detention facilities across the capital city, Juba. 

Amnesty International has documented numerous arbitrary detentions by the NSS in multiple facilities where detainees are often subjected to torture and other ill-treatment – some held incommunicado without access to a lawyer, or family members. Others have been forcibly disappeared. 

In the NSS prison headquarters in the Jebel Neighbourhood ('Blue House'), detainees are badly beaten, especially during interrogation, or as a form of punishment. Due to the poor conditions of the prisons, as well as inadequate access to medical care, the health of those detained often deteriorates.

Prolonged and arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and torture and other ill-treatment have all been frequently employed by the authorities in South Sudan since the initial outbreak of the conflict in December 2013.

South Sudan’s political environment has remained intolerant of criticism of government actions and policies, leading to intimidation, harassment and detention of civil society activists, human rights defenders and independent journalists.

This has led to an environment of self-censorship for media and human rights workers where, with the pervasive state surveillance, people no longer feel safe to speak freely and openly about the conflict and human rights situation.

PREFERRED LANGUAGE TO ADDRESS TARGET: English
You can also write in your own language.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: 21 August 2019 
Please check with the Amnesty office in your country if you wish to send appeals after the deadline.

NAME AND PREFFERED PRONOUN: Ding Ding Mou (he/his/him)

LINK TO PREVIOUS UA: N/A

Additional TARGETS

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Embassy of the Republic of South Sudan 22-25 Portman Close, W1H 6BS 020 36872366 info@embrss.org.uk www.embrss.org.uk Please check with your section before sending appeals after the above date.