Episode 25: The Political Detentions and Silencing of the Dissent.

Political Detentions and Silencing of Dissent" — Voice 64 explores arrests of activists, repression of opposition, and South Sudan’s shrinking civic space.

In this powerful episode of Voice 64, we dive into one of the darkest realities of South Sudan’s political life: the silencing of dissent through detentions, intimidation, and fear. From the confinement of opposition leaders—including Riek Machar—to the arrest of student organizers, market women, unionists, and journalists, this episode unpacks how the regime in Juba has turned political space into a prison without walls.

We explore the machinery of repression: kangaroo courts where generals and ministers play judge and jury, media outlets suffocated by legal traps and economic strangulation, and activists preemptively arrested before a single protest can breathe. Government officials themselves openly declare, “We don’t have rubber bullets. We only have live bullets. Protest at your own risk.”

Through vivid storytelling, haunting metaphors, and composite testimonies—from a student silenced by threats to a mother waiting at prison gates to even a soldier questioning his role—this episode reveals the true cost of silencing dissent:

• A society muted by fear.

• A state corroded by corruption and suspicion.

• A future mortgaged to instability.

But it also asks: What would real change look like? From constitutional guarantees and independent courts to media freedom and truth-telling, the path forward lies in opening the windows of the nation—allowing fresh air, free voices, and genuine citizenship to return.

Join Voice 64 as we confront the question: Can South Sudan ever move from silence to citizenship?