A prominent activist in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state was released from prison Thursday, nearly eight months after being jailed on defamation charges following criticism of the former governor on social media.
Activist Dut Kuot Akok was freed on the order of the state’s newly appointed governor, Gen. Charles Madut Akol, according to family members and local advocates.
Kuot had been detained since May, stemming from Facebook posts in which he accused then-Governor Simon Uber Mawut of failing to control deadly protests, corruption and mismanagement.
Mawut had repeatedly declined calls from families and advocacy groups to release Kuot.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, Kuot confirmed his release from Aweil Central Prison at about 11 a.m. He said he was initially held for 37 days at a National Security facility in January and February before his formal arrest and sentencing in May.
“I have spent 8 months in jail since May 22,” Kuot said. He added that he has filed an appeal against his conviction, alleging the judicial process has been delayed unlawfully.
A close relative, Kuol Nyeng Kuol, welcomed the new governor’s decision. “We are looking forward to some next steps as a family,” Nyeng said.
Peter Diing Ngong, a civil society representative in the state, also praised the release. “We have been advocating for his release since he was arrested,” Diing said in a statement, calling it “unfortunate to detain a person for almost one year.”
The case highlights the use of criminal defamation laws in South Sudan, where press freedom and dissent are often constrained. The country’s 2008 Penal Code, still in effect, criminalizes defamation and libel, with convictions potentially carrying fines or imprisonment.
International rights groups, including Amnesty International, have repeatedly criticized these laws as tools to silence critics, journalists, and activists.