Yasmin Sooka, UN Human Rights Commission South Sudan Chairperson (File:X)
Geneva, February 27, 2026
Savanna Radio Newsroom
The United Nations has raised alarm over mounting political interference in the trial of South Sudan’s First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, warning that the move further undermines the already fragile 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement and risks pushing the country back into full-scale conflict. In a sharply worded assessment, UN officials and independent rights experts say Machar’s arrest, detention, and ongoing prosecution on charges including treason and crimes against humanity are being steered by the executive, eroding any confidence in the independence of the judiciary and the credibility of due process. They argue that targeting a key signatory and principal beneficiary of the power-sharing deal strikes at the heart of the peace framework and its core guarantees.
Diplomatic sources describe a pattern in which the security sector, prosecutorial authorities, and select courts are increasingly being used as tools to settle political scores, silence dissent, and reconfigure the political landscape ahead of the long-delayed elections. They warn that executive pressure around Machar’s trial, combined with the removal and replacement of opposition officials in government structures, is effectively hollowing out the agreement from within while maintaining a formal façade of implementation.
The UN has also linked the trial to a surge in political tensions and renewed violence in several parts of the country, noting that Machar’s detention has emboldened hardliners on all sides and weakened moderates who had invested in dialogue and compromise. Communities that previously saw the 2018 deal as a pathway out of war now fear a return to the dark days of open confrontation, with some armed groups already reorganizing along ethnic and factional lines.
Regional actors, including the African Union and IGAD, are under growing pressure to intervene diplomatically, insist on respect for the letter and spirit of the peace agreement, and press for an end to executive manipulation of judicial processes. Analysts say the handling of Machar’s case has become a litmus test for whether South Sudan’s leaders are genuinely committed to a peaceful transition or are using the peace deal as a temporary instrument to consolidate unilateral power.
Civil society organizations and church leaders inside South Sudan are calling for an immediate de-escalation, urging authorities to guarantee fair and transparent legal procedures, restore confidence in the justice system, and return to inclusive political dialogue. They warn that if the current trajectory continues, the 2018 peace agreement will not simply be at risk, but effectively collapsed, leaving the country facing a new, more fragmented, and potentially more devastating phase of conflict.
Dr. Riek Machar and his co-accused face over 20 charges under South Sudan’s Penal Code Act (2008) and Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Act (2012), stemming from a March 2025 attack by White Army forces on a government garrison in Nasir, Upper Nile.
Key Charges
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Murder
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Treason
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Terrorism (including financing terrorism)
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Conspiracy
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Destruction of public property
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War crimes (alleged, though not explicitly codified in national law)
Prosecutors claim the attack killed 257 soldiers, including General David Majur Dak, and caused $58 million in damages; Machar denies involvement and alleges a political witch-hunt. The trial, before a Special Court for National Crimes in Juba, continues with Machar under house arrest since March 2025.
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