Yei River County authorities this week released two activists, a religious leader and varsity student who were being held at a military detention facility, while two other detainees are expected to appear before a court of law.

Bishop Jackson Yemba of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and activists Justoson Victor Yoasa both working for Yamora, a local NGO, and Simon Latio a university student were rounded up by the South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF) Military Intelligence Unit on the 24 of August 2021.

The authorities accused the three of coordinating a failed demonstration planned by the People’s Coalition for Civil Action (PCCA), a group demanding the resignation of President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his government from power. 

A family member of one of the detainees who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed to Radio Tamazuj on Monday that the religious leader and the student were released on bail with assistance from Archbishop Elias Taban of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

“I am so happy that Jackson and Simon are now out from detention and I also hope the remaining two Robert and Justoson will be released soon so that they join their families because they are innocent. I want to thank the government for taking care of our family members in the prison without harsh treatment and I want to tell the world that two of the detainees are out of the prison,” he said.

The source said that Bishop Yemba needs medical attention, after spending months in prison.

Another family who also spoke on the condition of anonymity called on the government to ensure that the two remaining detainees Justoson Victor and Guya Robert are released without any further delay.

“We have been informed that they will be taken to the police and we welcome the proposal that they will be taken to the police. We demand that they should be released because we were told that they will be taken to the police on Tuesday for legal procedures and we expect that will not take long and we need to see that they are released as soon as possible and join their family members,” he added.

The detainees have spent the past two months without any access to a lawyer nor a court trial, a move widely criticized and condemned by human rights groups including Amnesty International.

Local observers say the civil space for freedom of expression and association has continued shrinking in Yei River County after the arrest of the two local activists and the religious leader.