A South Sudanese political commentator, Samuel Peter Oyay, has been detained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a year without charge. Oyay was arrested on September 30, 2025, by Emirati security forces in civilian clothes in front of his four children at their home in Dubai. During his arrest, the forces did not show his family a warrant or inform him of the charges or the legal basis for his arrest.
Oyay had fled South Sudan in 2014, fearing for his safety, and had been running a private business in the UAE. He regularly wrote for independent South Sudan-focused platforms, accusing the government of corruption that benefits the elite. His detention has raised concerns from Human Rights Watch, which has documented the UAE's longstanding practice of targeting critics of Abu Dhabi's foreign allies who live in the UAE.
The UAE and South Sudan have strengthened their bilateral relations in recent years, with President Salva Kiir visiting the UAE at least three times in 2025. The two countries have also signed significant deals, including a €12 billion (US$12.9 billion) oil-for-cash deal between a UAE company and South Sudan in April 2024. Most of South Sudan's crude is refined in Fujairah, one of the UAE's seven emirates.
Oyay's detention has been marked by a lack of transparency, with Emirati authorities not disclosing the legal basis for his arrest to his family. He was allowed to call his family two weeks after his arrest, but his whereabouts were not disclosed to his relatives for five months. Oyay has been held in two different prisons, with prison authorities allowing him one short phone call per week.
Human Rights Watch has expressed concerns about the UAE's zero-tolerance policy toward peaceful criticism, which is increasingly targeting critics of Abu Dhabi's foreign allies who live in the UAE. The organization has also documented cases of South Sudanese critics in exile being disappeared or forcefully returned with the support of the South Sudan government.
Oyay's family has faced difficulties in visiting him, with Emirati authorities calling them on March 2 to authorize a visit, only to move him to another prison on March 3. The family was finally able to visit Oyay on July 8, but has not been able to visit since. His detention has sparked calls for his immediate release, with Joey Shea, senior United Arab Emirates researcher at Human Rights Watch, saying that Emirati authorities should immediately release Samuel Oyay.
Oyay's case highlights the challenges faced by critics of governments in exile, particularly in the UAE. His detention has also raised concerns about the impact of the war in neighboring Sudan on South Sudan's oil exports, which have been significantly impacted.
Key points
- Emirati authorities have not disclosed the legal basis for Oyay's arrest to his family.
- Oyay has been held in prison for a year without charge.
- The UAE and South Sudan have strengthened their bilateral relations in recent years, including significant economic deals.
