Permanent premises of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the Netherlands. © 2018 Marina Riera/Human Rights Watch.

Three human rights organizations have called on the government to accede to membership of the International Criminal Court as part of its commitment to defending human rights.

The call is among many human rights concerns the rights group has raised to the government of South Sudan.

Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and South Sudan Human Rights Defenders network issued a joint press release following a review of the country’s Human Rights record in Geneva this week.

South Sudan is not yet a member of the Rome Statute.

However, the Court can only open an investigation into crimes committed in South Sudan under the request of the UN Security Council or the government of South Sudan.

“South Sudanese authorities must promptly accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and implement it fully into national law,” parts of the 15-pages statement read.

It also outlined a number of recommendations including facilitating unhindered humanitarian access, abolishment of extrajudicial killing and the death penalty.

The statement further emphasized on the right to education for all children and called for evacuation of military personnel currently occupying schools.

Early this week, the UN’s Human Right Council examined the country’s human rights record for the second time since 2016.

The review was convened by over 60 countries and attended by a delegation headed by the minister of Justice, Ruben Madol Arol.

It acknowledged that progress was made since the signing of the revitalized agreement in 2018.

It however, noted that violations and abuses, including sexual violence, arbitrary detentions, killings and attacks on freedom of expression, continue with impunity.

Efforts to reach the minister of information for comment were not immediately successful.