The U.S. and other western governments criticized a controversial security bill in South Sudan that would allow the government to detain people without warrants, saying it would undermine open political and civil space ahead of the country’s elections.
The security bill, which passed parliament July 3, has threatened the collapse of ongoing peace talks and prompted fears of arbitrary arrests ahead of the country’s first-ever elections on Dec. 22. President Salva Kiir has 30 days to approve or veto the law.
Nine western envoys, including representatives of the U.S. and Britain, said Wednesday that the signing of the bill would “constitute a significant step away from the opening of political and civic space, which is a prerequisite for genuine and peaceful elections to take place.”
In a statement issued Wednesday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller Wednesday said that the transitional government in South Sudan must act with urgency to create an environment in which the people can express their views openly and without fear.
“Enactment of this law would further degrade political and civic space in South Sudan,” the statement read.
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