DUBAI – South Sudanese political commentator Samuel Peter Oyay was arrested earlier at his house this week by security agents of the United States Emirates (UAE), under unclear circumstances.
Mr. Oyay was taken from his residence early Tuesday, September 30, by a group of six individuals, some in uniform, according to his wife, Vivian Johnson.
Some reports have suggested the arrest could be related to his criticism through opinion articles and commentaries on the political situation in South Sudan.
Vivian has appealed to Emirati authorities to immediately disclose her husband’s whereabouts and the circumstances of his detention.
She told South Sudanese outlet Radio Tamazuj that the incident occurred around 1 a.m. local time as her husband was returning from work. She said Oyay was surprised to find a group of six individuals in official Emirati attire accompanying him as he entered the home.
She said four of the security agents wore traditional Emirati clothing — jalabiyas — while the other two were dressed in government uniforms.
Vivian described how the incident unfolded, including when a female member of the security team locked her and her children in a room and confiscated her phone.
“Whenever I asked her what was going on, she would tell me that this is a government procedure and I cannot tell you anything,” Johnson said in an interview with Tamazuj.
“She told me that the discussion is between Oyay and the government of Emirates.”
Oyay has written extensively on South Sudanese politics for independent media outlets. His most recent opinion article, published on September 21, criticized the ongoing trial of South Sudan’s suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar.
In the piece, Oyay argued that President Salva Kiir’s politics are best understood “not as leadership in the conventional sense, but as survival through fragmentation.”
Authorities in the UAE have not issued any public statement regarding Oyay’s arrest. Johnson said her next step is to file a formal case with the police to seek more information.
Additional source: Radio Tamazuj
