Emirati security forces arrested a renowned South Sudanese political commentator and government critic from his home in Dubai, his wife told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, raising concerns about his whereabouts.
Mr. Samuel Peter Oyay was taken from his residence early Tuesday at 1 a.m. by a group of six individuals, some in uniform, according to his wife, Vivian Johnson.
She said the security forces provided no clear explanation for the arrest, only stating it was for “security reasons.”
Johnson described a chaotic scene in which a female member of the security team locked her and her children in a room and confiscated her phone.
“Whenever I asked her what was going on, she would tell me that this is a government procedure and I cannot tell you anything,” Johnson said in an interview with Radio Tamazuj. “She told me that the discussion is between Oyay and the government of Emirates.”
Johnson said the security forces searched the home for nearly two hours, examining “certificates, shoes, and bags and everything in the home.” She said they found nothing.
Before being taken away, Oyay told her, “Keep an eye on the children. This is a normal result for the struggle,” Johnson recounted.
The forces told her Oyay would be held for five days for investigations, but provided no further details. “I don’t know why they’re arresting my husband,” Johnson said. “I don’t know where Samuel is… It’s the first time we’ve seen something like this in our lives.”
Oyay has written extensively on South Sudanese politics for independent media outlets. His most recent opinion article, published Sept. 21, criticized the ongoing trial of South Sudan’s suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar.
In the piece, Oyay argued that President Salva Kiir’s politics are best understood “not as leadership in the conventional sense, but as survival through fragmentation.”
Authorities in the UAE have not issued any public statement regarding Oyay’s arrest. Johnson said her next step is to file a formal case with the police to seek more information.
When asked if Oyay had previously complained of being followed or harassed, Johnson said he hadn’t complained of anything prior to his arrest.
“Our documents and legal status are in good standing, and there is no problem on that issue,” Johnson said. “It is only my residency renewal that the authorities declined, but we don’t know why.”
She called on the Emirati authorities to disclose her husband’s location.
Asked if she believed the South Sudanese government could be involved in the detention, Johnson expressed uncertainty but did not rule it out.
“I really don’t know, but what happened to us is a big thing,” she said. “We cannot rule it out because for security forces to come to our house and arrest Samuel is not a normal incident.”
Edmund Yakani, a prominent South Sudanese human rights advocate, condemned the arrest.
Yakani called the detention of writer Samuel Peter Oyay “unacceptable” and denounced the practice of enforced disappearances. He urged the governments of South Sudan and the United Arab Emirates to ensure Oyay’s safety and protection.