South Sudanese Commentator Samuel Peter Oyay Detained in Dubai; Family and Rights Groups Alarmed

Concern for detained South Sudanese commentator in UAE

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — Relatives of Samuel Peter Oyay, a South Sudanese political commentator known for his critical commentary of the government, say they are increasingly worried for his safety after his arrest in the United Arab Emirates more than a month ago.

Oyay was taken from his Dubai home on Sept. 30, days after publishing a column for the Netherlands-based outlet Radio Tamazuj, a widely read source of news and analysis about South Sudan. His wife, Vivian Johnson, told The Associated Press she has spoken with him only three times since she witnessed the detention. The most recent call, on Oct. 25, lasted under a minute and Oyay did not disclose his location.

The family fled South Sudan's civil war in 2013 and have lived in the UAE since 2014. Johnson says Emirati officials escorted her husband into the house, separated family members into another room, and searched the premises for about two hours before confiscating a computer and two mobile phones and taking Oyay into custody.

Criticism that may have triggered the arrest

Oyay's Sept. 21 article criticized the ongoing trial of opposition leader Riek Machar, who was suspended from his post as vice president after being charged with treason and related offenses. Authorities say Machar and associates instigated an attack on a military garrison in March that they allege killed at least 250 soldiers.

In his column Oyay accused President Salva Kiir of deliberately weakening state institutions to consolidate power, and described Machar as a 'captive figure in the theater of governance, humiliated publicly yet preserved as a warning to others who might imagine challenging the regime.' Earlier in September, also writing for Radio Tamazuj, Oyay cited a U.N. report alleging that companies linked to Vice President Benjamin Bol Mel diverted more than $1 billion in funds intended for road projects.

Opaque detention and rights concerns

Johnson says the officials who arrested her husband told the family they would be contacted within five days with more information, but no one has reached out. Requests for comment to South Sudan's Foreign Ministry, the domestic security service, and the UAE Foreign Ministry were not answered.

Sara Qudah, director for the Middle East and North Africa at the Committee to Protect Journalists, said the case highlights the UAE's role in what she described as 'transnational repression' and its limited tolerance for press freedom. She added that the absence of publicly disclosed charges or reasons for Oyay's detention raises alarming questions about the transparency of the criminal justice process in the UAE.

Context: reprisals against exiled critics

South Sudan and the UAE have deepened ties in recent years as the Gulf state invested heavily in the region and has business interests across neighboring Sudan. Last month President Kiir visited Dubai for the third time; his office described the trip as focused on strengthening bilateral relations and investment.

Exiled critics from South Sudan have faced violent reprisals in the past. A U.N. inquiry found that in 2017 two government opponents were abducted in Nairobi, forcibly returned to South Sudan, and later killed, with evidence pointing to the intelligence service. Another critic, Morris Mabior Awikjok Bak, was detained in Nairobi in 2023, forcibly returned, and held in detention for more than a year after seeking asylum in 2021 due to threats over his criticism of officials.

Rights groups and family members are calling for transparency about Oyay's whereabouts and any charges against him, and they are urging diplomatic pressure to ensure his safety and due process.