Lawyers representing former South Sudan Vice President Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel have petitioned the Ministry of Justice seeking his immediate release, describing his continued house arrest as unlawful detention without formal charges.

The petition, filed Friday by Kiirdit & Co. Advocates, challenges the legality of Bol Mel’s detention and demands that authorities either bring him before a court or release him without further delay.

According to the filing, Bol Mel has been held under house arrest for approximately 120 days since security forces arrested him on the night of November 12, 2025.

His legal team alleges he has been held incommunicado, denied access to family members, legal counsel, and necessary medical care.

Once a powerful businessman-turned-politician and close ally of President Salva Kiir, Bol Mel was appointed vice president in February 2025 and later named first deputy chairman of the ruling SPLM in May 2025 — moves widely seen as consolidating his influence within the party.

On the night of his arrest, he was abruptly removed from both the vice presidency and party deputy leadership, stripped of his intelligence rank (reduced from general to private), and expelled from military service.

His detention is widely believed by political observers to be linked to an internal power struggle within the ruling SPLM ahead of planned national elections in December 2026, amid heightened discussions over succession to the 74-year-old Kiir.

The lawyers argue that the government has failed to file formal charges or present Bol Mel before a court, violating constitutional guarantees of personal liberty and due process.

They also claim security forces seized several of his private assets — including homes and vehicles — without court authorization.

The petition warns that Bol Mel’s health has deteriorated significantly and could worsen further without proper medical attention.

The legal team has asked the justice minister to intervene, require authorities to justify the detention, or produce Bol Mel in court if evidence of criminal activity exists.

Copies of the petition were also submitted to the South Sudan Human Rights Commission and Bol Mel’s family.

No immediate response has been issued from the Ministry of Justice, the Office of the President, or other government authorities.

The case adds to a growing list of high-profile detentions and removals of senior officials in recent months, raising concerns over political stability, rule of law, and the integrity of the transitional process.