A Juba high court on Thursday dismissed a long-running defamation case brought by a former education minister against three youth members from Warrap State, a defense lawyer said Friday.
The case, filed in 2022 by former Minister of General Education Awut Deng Acuil, accused the members of the Luanyjang community youth of defamation over their public criticism of education authorities.
The dispute stemmed from a 2021 incident in which Luanyjang youth representatives wrote to President Salva Kiir accusing the minister of intentionally blocking Primary Eight pupils in parts of Tonj East County from taking final exams, citing security concerns.
The accused’s defense lawyer, Kiir Chol Deng, told Radio Tamazuj that the High Court ruled the youth had not committed defamation and were exercising their constitutional right to free expression.
“The court held that the youth did not defame the minister or the ministry, and as such, the case was dismissed,” Deng said.
Deng, who filed for the case’s dismissal in August 2025, said the court agreed the criticism targeted actions taken by the minister in an official capacity. He described the ruling as a significant precedent.
“A government institution has no capacity to initiate a defamation case,” Deng said. “Citizens have the right to criticise government officials and institutions when they are exercising their powers.”
He said the decision strengthens democratic principles and protects freedom of expression in South Sudan.
The former minister’s suit named Machiek Dongrin, interim youth chairperson Marcelo Deng Magon, and medical student Tinjok Ruben Dhal.
Calls to the lawyer representing the former minister were not immediately returned Friday.