The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango: South Sudan: UN human rights chief decries escalating hostilities, arbitrary arrests and hate speech
“We are warning today of a real risk of further deterioration in the human rights situation in South Sudan. This follows a sharp increase in hostilities between the South Sudan people’s defence forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army - In Opposition,” he said.
“At least 75 civilians have been killed and 78 others injured since the latest hostilities broke out in February. Thousands have been displaced,” spokesperson stated.
The latest fighting broke out following a series of armed attacks in Nasir County, in Upper Nile State in February that were attributed to the White Army militia group.
“High Commissioner Volker Türk is urging all parties to urgently pull back from the brink and to uphold the 2018 peace agreement. He is also calling on all parties to protect civilians and civilian objects and to facilitate humanitarian access - in line with their obligations under international law,” Magango said.
“We are also concerned by the arbitrary detention of dozens of politicians linked to the SPLM-IO, among them the country’s first vice-president, ministers and members of parliament,” he said.
At least 55 high-ranking government officials affiliated with the SPLM-IO were arrested across the country between the 5th and the 26th of March – many of them without arrest warrants or due process.
“All those arbitrarily detained must be immediately and unconditionally released.
We appeal to the authorities to also take prompt, effective and meaningful steps to halt hate speech,” he stated.
END
For more information and media requests, please contact:
Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org or
Liz Throssell - + 41 22 917 9296 / elizabeth.throssell@un.org or
Seif Magango: +41 79 752 0488 / seif.magango@un.org
Tag and share
Facebook unitednationshumanrights
Instagram @unitednationshumanrights
STORY: UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango: South Sudan: UN human rights chief decries escalating hostilities, arbitrary arrests and hate speech
TRT: 01:48
SOURCE: OHCHR/UNOG
RESTRICTIONS: None
LANGUAGE: English /NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 23 May 2025 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior shots: Palais des Nations
- Wide shot: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Seif Magango, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “We are warning today of a real risk of further deterioration in the human rights situation in South Sudan. This follows a sharp increase in hostilities between the South Sudan people’s defence forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army - In Opposition and their allied fighters.”
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Seif Magango, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “At least 75 civilians have been killed and 78 others injured since the latest hostilities broke out in February. Thousands have been displaced.”
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Seif Magango, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “High Commissioner Volker Türk is urging all parties to urgently pull back from the brink and to uphold the 2018 peace agreement. He is also calling on all parties to protect civilians and civilian objects and to facilitate humanitarian access - in line with their obligations under international law.”
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Seif Magango, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “We are also concerned by the arbitrary detention of dozens of politicians linked to the SPLM-IO, among them the country’s first vice-president, ministers and members of parliament.”
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Seif Magango, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “All those arbitrarily detained must be immediately and unconditionally released. We appeal to the authorities to also take prompt, effective and meaningful steps to halt hate speech.”
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
A UN Human Rights Office report released today on Israel’s settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan made the following remarks on Tuesday concerning the deadly blast at a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul:
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan made the following remarks on the impact of Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , OHCHR , WFP
Middle East war may deepen global hunger; mass displacement, rights violations on the rise
The Middle East war could cause the worst disruption to humanitarian work since COVID, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Tuesday.
2
1
2
Statements , Conferences , Edited News | HRC
The UN’s top human rights forum gathered in Geneva on Monday, where Member States highlighted the growing civilian toll of war in the Middle East, sparked by Israeli and U.S. bombing of Iran, counter-strikes by Tehran against Gulf states and Israeli shelling of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in response to attacks by the armed group.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNIFIL , UNFPA , IOM , UNHCR
As the UN Secretary-General touched down in Beirut on Friday in solidarity with the people of Lebanon, UN agencies highlighted the dangers for civilians and particularly pregnant women and migrant workers, amid ongoing airstrikes and rocket fire between Hezbollah fighters and Israel.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC
Russia’s deportations of Ukrainian children amount to crimes against humanity: independent UN rights probe
Scores of Ukrainian children are still missing after being deported far and wide across Russia and occupied territories while their families continue to search for them, human rights investigators said on Thursday.
2
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences | OCHA
The UN’s emergency relief chief on Wednesday condemned the “$1 billion-a-day” cost of the war roiling the Middle East, at a time of severe cuts to the global body’s humanitarian work in emergencies and “soaring” needs.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , WHO , UNHCR , UNICEF , WFP
Middle East war: UN warns of ‘toxic rain’ danger from oil depot strikes as mass displacement, aid supply shocks spread
Toxic “black rain” linked to strikes on oil depots, mass displacement and continuing disruption to humanitarian supply chains are upending lives across the Middle East and beyond after 10 days of war in the region, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on Friday made the following remarks on Israel’s military ground incursions and displacement orders in Lebanon.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , IOM , WHO
The escalating war in the Middle East has heightened growing concerns about further civilian suffering and displacement in the region and far beyond, UN agencies said on Friday.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk made the following remarks at a press stake out on the current situation in the Middle East.
“The crisis sparked in the Middle East one week ago following US and Israeli attacks on Iran, and Iran’s counterattacks, has been spreading like wildfire. It is causing significant damage in Iran, Israel and at least a dozen other countries, mostly in the Gulf, with risks of major economic and environmental ramifications across the world,” he said.