This archive report was first published on 11 December 2019.
On International Human Rights Day, the US government imposed financial restrictions on five South Sudanese security officials accused of kidnapping and torturing activists on Kenyan soil.
The sanctions target individuals accused of serious human rights abuse, including torture, kidnapping, and murder.
The US Treasury named Abud Stephen Thiongkol, Malual Dhal Muorwel, Michael Kuajien, John Top Lam, and Angelo Kuot Garang as having participated in the disappearance of Aggrey Idri and Dong Samuel Luak.
According to reports filed to Kenyan police by their families, Mr. Idri, a member of the SPLM-IO, and Mr. Luak, a South Sudanese human rights lawyer, disappeared from Nairobi on January 23 and 24, 2017, respectively.
The US Treasury stated that the Government of South Sudan has denied involvement in their disappearance, but evidence pointed to a systemic use of 'extrajudicial killings as a means to silence dissent, limit freedom of speech and the press, and enforce the political status quo.'
Despite two years elapsing since the death of Dong and Aggrey, the Government of South Sudan has shown no indications of holding the five individuals or any others to account, and has not taken any corrective measures since the publication in April of the UN Panel of Experts report.
The sanctions were issued under the US Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which seeks to punish perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption.
Secretary Steven Mnuchin stated, 'The United States will not tolerate torture, kidnapping, sexual violence, murder, or brutality against innocent civilians.'
