JUBA – South Sudan’s National Security agents have launched a major crackdown targeting social media political commentators in recent days, leading to the arrest and detention of several influential TikTok streamers.
The latest was the shooting and arrest of online personality Akuac Wol in a car chase in Juba, on Sunday, November 16. A family source said NSS officers sought to arrest her. Akuac was shot in the thigh and has since been admitted to hospital in Juba.
Akuac was being trailed by security agents as a person of interest in the ongoing crackdown. She had just left the airport after seeing off former SSFF president Augustino Maduot, who was being airlifted to Nairobi for treatment.
As her vehicle approached Amarat, her driver noticed they were being followed by a pickup believed to be carrying agents, who later caught up with them and shot her in the ensuing car chase.
In the past week, NSS agents have also made several arrest of online commentators including Akot Matuongdit, Amathjok, and Deng Nice King. Another social media commentator, Gokwel, was also arrested and released after spending a night in custody.
The government has not provided any official reason for the arrests, and it is unclear whether or not the influencers were arrested with warrants.
However, the operation targeting streamers from the Bahr El Ghazal region occurred in the wake of the sacking of Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel as Vice President, his subsequent removal from SPLM leadership post, demotion and dismissal from NSS.
The connection between such arrests and Bol’s removal is that those influencers had been defending the former vice president against other social media influencers on President Kiir’s side.
Bol Deng Bol, the Executive Director of INTREPID South Sudan (ISS) and Chairperson of the Jonglei Civil Society Network (JCSN), condemned the detention of the influencers including comedian Amath Jok, describing it as a violation of their constitutional rights.
“This detention is definitely a violation of their rights and freedom of expression,” he said, in an interview with Radio Tamazuj.
“Citizens have the right to express their views, whether positive or negative, and whether directed at government officials or not. There is absolutely no need for anyone to be arrested simply for expressing their views.”
Deng stressed that only statements amounting to defamation could justify legal action, but emphasized that the comedians’ statements did not meet that threshold.
“If it does not vilify someone and does not constitute defamation, then there is absolutely no need for any arrest. What is happening to them now is censorship and a violation of their rights.”