The United Nations on Friday called on South Sudanese authorities to ensure that any legal proceedings against suspended First Vice President Riek Machar and seven others meet international standards of fairness and transparency.
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said it was closely following the situation after the country’s Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs announced legal charges against Machar and several others.
“Any judicial proceeding should adhere to international standards of fairness and transparency, with full respect for the rule of law and human rights,” UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters at the daily press briefing.
The development comes as South Sudan marks the seventh anniversary of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, signed in 2018 to end years of civil war. Implementation of the deal has been slow, and tensions have risen amid political deadlock and escalating violence.
The United Nations urged all parties to de-escalate tensions and prioritize the needs of the South Sudanese people.
“As the political and security situation continues to deteriorate, it is more important than ever that the country’s leaders put the interests of their people first,” Dujarric said.
The UN also renewed warnings over the worsening humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, where half the population faces severe food insecurity, alongside mass displacement and economic collapse.
On Thursday, Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech said Machar and seven others had been formally charged with murder, treason and crimes against humanity.
The charges relate to a March attack on a military base in Nasir, Upper Nile state, which authorities say left more than 250 soldiers dead. They allege the assault was carried out by the White Army militia under Machar’s command.
Later that evening, President Salva Kiir suspended Machar from his post, along with Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chuol, pending the outcome of the trial.
On Friday, Machar met with a team of defence lawyers in the capital, Juba — his first meeting with legal counsel since security forces placed him under house arrest.
Machar has been under house arrest since March, with the UN, African Union and neighbouring countries all calling for calm.
The 2018 peace deal, signed by Kiir and Machar, ended a conflict that killed nearly 400,000 people. However, relations between the two leaders have since deteriorated amid ongoing ethnic tensions and sporadic violence.