South Sudan Opposition Party Says Members Arrested and Beaten

South Sudan’s opposition leader in parliament said government security forces arrested and beat him and seven other of his party members yesterday, two days before the region becomes independent.

Three party activists were picked up in the regional capital, Juba, while hanging posters calling for South Sudan to guarantee human rights, said Onyoti Adigo Nyikwec, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-Democratic Change’s parliamentary leader. Five others were detained at their office, he said. Army spokesman Philip Aguer denied the army ordered their arrest.