UN human rights chief to visit South Sudan, 28-29 April 2014

GENEVA (25 April 2014) – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, will visit South Sudan from 28 to 29 April 2014, to discuss the worsening human rights situation, in the wake of the recent mass killings in Bentiu and Bor.

During her visit, Pillay plans to meet with the President and senior government officials, as well as other key actors such as the National Human Rights Commission. She will also attempt to meet or talk with opposition leaders either in South Sudan itself or in Addis Ababa, where she also plans to meet senior officials involved in the South Sudan peace process.

She will be joined by the Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, who is visiting South Sudan at the same time.

Security conditions permitting, Pillay will also travel to sites where recent grave human rights violations have occurred to assess the human rights situation and talk to victims.

Pillay’s mission comes at the request of the Secretary-General and in light of this week’s discussion on South Sudan in the Security Council.

The High Commissioner will hold a press conference in Juba (details to be confirmed).

ENDS

For additional information and media requests, please contact:
In Juba:Patrick Morrison (+ 211 912 0625 54 or + 211 912 1508 47 / morrisonp@un.org) or Joseph Contreras (+ 211 912 1788 39 / contrerasj@un.org) or Rupert Colville (rcolville@ohchr.org)

In Geneva: Cécile Pouilly (+ 41 22 917 9310 or cpouilly@ohchr.org) or Ravina Shamdasani (+41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org)

UN Human Rights, country page – South Sudan: http://www.ohchr.org/en/countries/south-sudan

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