Salva Kiir Mayardit President of the Republic of South c/o The Honorable Garang Diing Akuong ​ Ambassador to the Embassy of the Republic of in Washington DC 1015 31st Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, D. C. 20007 Fax: +1 ( 202) 293 7941 Email: [email protected]

November 21, 2018

RE: Release PhD student Peter Biar Ajak

Your Excellency:

I write to express grave concern for the well-being of Mr. Peter Biar Ajak, a doctoral student at the University of Cambridge and political activist. I respectfully urge you to call on the appropriate authorities to secure Mr. Ajak’s immediate and unconditional release.

Mr. Ajak is pursuing a PhD in philosophy at University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. He is a founding member and director of the Center for Strategic Analyses and Research, an independent policy think tank, and founding chairman of South Sudan Young Leaders Forum, where he works to encourage political dialogue. Mr. Ajak is the CEO of South Sudan Wrestling Entertainment, a private company that brings people together and celebrates South Sudan’s culture. Mr. Ajak is also a regular contributor to a local television program in which he comments on political issues. Mr. Ajak was one of the over four thousand Sudanese “lost boys” who came to the United States in 2001. He completed a BA at La Salle University and a Masters at Harvard University before pursuing a PhD in philosophy at Cambridge University. He is a recipient of the Atlantic Council Millennium Fellowship, Leadership Fellowship, and the Crans Montana Forum’s New Leader for Tomorrow Award.

I understand from Scholars at Risk (SAR) that South Sudanese authorities detained Mr. Ajak on July 28, 2018, in apparent retaliation for his peaceful human rights activism, and that he has been detained at the headquarters of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), in Jebel. Reports indicate that he is being kept in the “Blue House” at NISS headquarters, a prison notorious for its alleged use of on detainees. On September 7 and 20, 2018 the NISS granted Mr. Ajak access to legal counsel. Mr. Ajak has not been formally charged; however, Mr. Ajak’s legal counsel has reportedly been informed that Mr. Ajak’s charges relate to terrorism, treason, and the promulgation of false statements against South Sudan. The grounds for these charges remain unclear, but his family believes that his media appearances and affiliations with organizations that encourage political dialogue are the bases for the charges. Public information regarding Mr. Ajak’s current status, access to family counsel, and possible future court dates is unavailable.

Absent additional information, the facts as described suggest that Mr. Ajak is being detained as a result of the nonviolent exercise of the right to freedom of expression -- conduct that is expressly protected under international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

I therefore respectfully urge you to direct the appropriate authorities to release Mr. Ajak and, pending this, to ensure immediately Mr. Ajak’s well-being while in prison, including humane treatment and access to medical care, family, and legal counsel of his choosing, and ensure that any case against him proceeds in a manner consistent with internationally recognized standards of due process, and fair trial, in accordance with South Sudan’s obligations under international law.

I appreciate your attention to his important matter and look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

CC:

The Honorable Mike Pompeo Secretary of State U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520 USA

The Honorable Michelle Bachelet High Commissioner for Human Rights Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Palais des Nations CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland Email: [email protected]

The Honorable Harriett Baldwin Minister of State for Africa at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Minister of State for International Development House of Commons Westminster, London, SW1A 0AA, UK Fax: +44 01684 585165 Email: [email protected]

The Honorable Alain Noudehou Deputy Special Representative in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) UNDP Compound Ministries Road Plot 21 PO Box 410 , South Sudan Email: [email protected]

The Honorable Karen Pierce DCMG Ambassador and Permanent Representative, UK Mission to the UN New York One Dag Hammarskjold Plaza 885 Second Avenue New York New York 10017 USA Fax: +1 212-745-9200

Ambassador Maker Ayuel Deng Embassy of The Republic of South Sudan Winchester House 259-269 Old Marylebone Road London NW1 5RA United Kingdom Email: [email protected]

Ambassador Chol M. U. Ajongo South Sudanese Embassy in , Senteu Plaza, 2nd Floor Galana Road P.O. Box 73699 - 00200 Nairobi Kenya Email: [email protected]

Ambassador James Pitia Morgan South Sudanese Embassy in , Bole-Medhanialem P.O. Box 3140 / 1250 Addis Ababa Ethiopia Email: [email protected]