A coalition of South Sudanese civil society organisations, the Reclaim Campaign, has condemned a statement issued by the justice minister regarding the March 2025 clashes in Nasir between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the Nuer White Army.
Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech said on Thursday that First Vice President and opposition leader Riek Machar, along with seven others, had been charged with murder, treason and crimes against humanity.
The charges stem from a March attack on a military base in Nasir, Upper Nile state, which killed more than 250 soldiers. The government alleges the attack was carried out by the White Army militia under Machar’s direction.
On Thursday night, President Salva Kiir suspended Machar from his post, along with Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chuol, pending trial.
Machar has been under house arrest since March 26, in a move widely seen by observers as part of a long-running power struggle with Kiir.
In a press release on Thursday, the Reclaim Campaign described the government’s announcement as a “callous attempt to whitewash gross human rights violations and the unlawful detention” of senior members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO).
“It is a politically motivated charade designed to weaponise the judiciary against a principal peace partner and derail the fragile peace process,” the group said.
The coalition said the investigation and its findings represented an abuse of power and a violation of the rule of law, which Akech claims to uphold.
According to Reclaim, its own review of the committee’s mandate, composition and scope showed the process was designed to bypass standard investigative procedures and lacked due process and impartiality.
It said the investigation was politically driven, undermined the presumption of innocence and violated the right to a fair trial.
The group also said the charges contradicted the principle of judicial independence and were “built on quicksand,” aimed at criminalising political opposition and derailing prospects for free and fair elections.
Reclaim called on the international community to reject what it described as the politicisation of justice and urged accountability for actions that could reignite conflict in South Sudan.
It also urged South Sudanese citizens to view the government’s actions as a threat to peace, reconciliation and governance.
The statement concluded by reiterating the coalition’s commitment to a peaceful South Sudan and a legal process that is “truly just, independent and transparent.”