South Sudan: extend UN investigations, stand ready to take further action

In a letter released as the UN Human Rights Coun­cil’s 61st regular session (HRC61, 23 Feb­­ruary-31 March 2026) is about to start, a record number of 129 South Sudanese, regional, and international NGOs urge members of the Council to extend the man­date of the Com­mis­­sion on Human Rights in South Sudan (CHRSS) to enable it to pursue its investigations on violations of international law in the country. 

The signatories stress that the CHRSS is the only mechanism tasked with col­lec­ting and preserving evidence of vio­la­tions of in­ter­­­na­tional law with a view to ensuring ac­coun­t­a­bility in South Sudan. 

In their letter, they urge the Council to stand ready to respond to any further dete­rio­ration of the human rights situation in the country, including on the basis of expert analyses of risk factors for atrocity crimes. They outline a series of concerns about South Sudan’s human rights situation, which has deteriorated since the Council last adopted a resolution on the country, in April 2025, and about the country’s multiple crises.

After the tran­si­tional period was extended until February 2027, national elections were postponed and are now scheduled for Dec­ember 2026, with tensions growing and major risks of further violations and violence. “At this critical time,” the signatories write, “[the Council] should enhance its level of attention to South Sudan.” 

 

  • English version (PDF) 
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Dear Colleagues and Friends, As we close our year’s work at DefendDefenders and AfricanDefenders, it is my traditional honor to invite you to join me as we reflect on our year’s work, as valued partners in a common pursuit to ensure a safer working environment for human rights defenders (HRDs) across Africa.

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