eSwatini

  • Nearly 70 human rights groups condemn state violence in Eswatini

    To the Government of Eswatini and the international community:
  • 9/11’s anti-human rights legacy in Eswatini

    By Kgalalelo Gaebee, Communications Officer and David Kode, Lead of Advocacy and Campaigns at CIVICUS

    Twenty-one years on, the legacy of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 still reverberate. This year’s anniversary offers an opportunity to reflect on the unfortunate legacy in the proliferation of anti-terrorism laws. These laws have been used by numerousstates, including many in Africa, to target dissent and limit the freedoms of expression, assembly and association. Between 2001 and 2018, African states were among over 140 countries worldwide that passed such counter-terrorism laws and other security-related legislation.

    While the global counter-terrorism framework is clear about the fact that any strategy to combat terrorism must be based on respect for the rule of law , many countries in Africa, including those without a history of terrorist threats, now use anti-terrorism and related ‘security’ laws to silence critics. Eswatini is among the worst offenders.

    Read on African Vanguard 
  • Call for an independent investigation into the death of Eswatini’s human rights activist, Thulani Maseko

    Representatives of the undermentioned civil society organisations are shocked to hear about the brutal killing of Eswatini human rights defender Thulani Maseko. Such attacks and the ongoing violence against  pro-democracy campaigners in Eswatini make the search for peace and full respect for human rights in Eswatini even more urgent.

    Civil society organisations around the world are calling on the Eswatini authorities to allow an independent, impartial, and effective investigation into the brutal murder of Thulani Maseko.

    The murder of Thulani Maseko, is the latest in a series of tragic events associated with pro-democracy protests in Eswatini and the brutal response of the government to peaceful calls for democratic reforms. They highlight the seriousness of the human rights situation in Eswatini and the magnitude of the work that needs to be done to address it. Thulani Maseko, a well-known human rights lawyer and activist for democracy in the country, was shot dead on Saturday 21 January 2023, in front of his family in his home south of Mbabane. He was killed a few hours after King Mswati warned those calling for democracy that his mercenaries would deal with them, he noted that "People should not shed tears and complain about mercenaries killing them."

    It the time of his death, Thulani, headed the Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF) of political parties and civil society groups leading the campaign for democracy in the kingdom. The spokesman of the Forum said, "assassins shot him through the window while he was inside (the) house with his family". At the time of his death, as a human rights lawyer, Maseko was representing many human rights defenders and pro-democracy activists in Eswatini.

    The activist had reportedly been receiving death threats for more than a year. As a human rights defender, he had been subjected to judicial persecution, threats harassment and detentions. He was convicted for contempt of court on 18 March 2014, along with journalist Bheki Makhubu, after criticising Eswatini's judicial system. Since May 2021, the human rights situation in Eswatini deteriorated and pro-democracy protesters called for democratic reforms. Thousands of Swazis took to the streets to demand basic human rights and good democratic governance, which are a challenge of non-service delivery by the current government. In response to protests, King Mswati III– the last absolute monarch in Africa issued a decree – banning citizens from sending petitions to parliamentarians to demand democratic reforms.  The authorities used excessive force against protesters, detaining them, killing and injuring others, and hijacking and kidnapping activists. As a result, more than 80 people were reported killed, 200 plus injured, and over thousands of others arrested and detained. Currently, two Members of Parliament, Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube, remain in detention for 16 months, without trial, while facing criminal charges under the Suppression of Terrorism Act in relation to the protests.

    Eswatini is rated as ‘repressed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor, an online platform that measures the state of civic freedoms in all countries. Information from Eswatini show a continued practice of activists and human rights defenders being harassed, threatened, and intimidated for their real or perceived initiatives and support towards pro-democracy and good governance. Stakeholders remain concerned that citizens involved in political activism are subjected to harassment, reprisals, torture and even killed and that King Mswati, has thwarted calls for reform and suppressed political activism for years.

    We strongly urge the Eswatini government to: 

    1. Carry out impartial investigations into the brutal killing of Thulani Maseko and hold all those responsible accountable.
    2. Stop harassing activists and release all journalists and human rights defenders currently detained for their human rights activities.
    3. Create an enabling environment for human rights defenders and all citizens to be able to express, associate, and assemble without fear of intimidation and harassment.
    4. Ensure the safety and security of all Eswatini people, including human rights defenders, journalists and political activists and protect civic space.
    5. Immediately end the persecution of all activists, drop all charges against political prisoners including those awaiting trial or in jail for their perceived role in the May 2021 protests.
    6. Carry out independent investigations into the use of violence against peaceful protesters and prosecute security personnel who have used excessive force against demonstrators.

    We call on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) to:

    1. Use all the existing mechanisms and instruments to engage with King Mswati’s government and all stakeholders to urgently look for sustainable solution to the political crisis and pave way for democratic reforms. 
    2. Demand accountability from Eswatini authorities for the gross violations of human rights, including arbitrary detentions, excessive use of force against protesters, and extra-judicial killings of activists.
    3. Call on the government of Eswatini to respects, protect, and fulfil human rights obligations in accordance with international and regional instruments.

    The statement is endorsed by:

    1. CIVICUS
  • CIVICUS calls for the release of Eswatini MPs before the anniversary of their detention
    • Calls for the release of Eswatini MPs Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube
    • 25 July marks their one-year anniversary in detention 
    • MPs feature in  #StandAsMyWitness global human rights campaign
    • Regional SADC conference to address political unrest postponed

    Global civil society alliance CIVICUS calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Eswatini members of parliament Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube ahead of their one-year anniversary in detention.

    Bacede and Mthandeni were detained on 25 July 2021 following protests demanding political reforms and charged under the Suppression of Terrorism Act and for flouting Covid-19 regulations. They feature in CIVICUS’s global #StandAsMyWitness campaign, calling for the release of activists in prison or facing pre-trial detention after protecting and promoting human rights. 

    “CIVICUS calls for the immediate release of Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube, and all charges against them dropped. As MPs, it is their duty to peacefully demand democratic reform and speak out against repression - freedom of speech is not a crime. Their detention has been politically motivated, fuelled by a crisis sweeping Eswatini - they should not spend another night behind bars,” said David Kode, CIVICUS Advocacy and Campaigns Lead.

    Pro-democracy and anti-police protests swept Eswatini in June 2021 after the unexplained death of 25-year-old law student, Thabani Nkomonye, allegedly at the hands of the police. Over 1,000 people were arrested and the security forces called in to stamp out dissent. Political unrest followed and in recent months the landlocked Southern African country has experienced a so-called ‘winter revolution’ - journalists have been targeted and there have been clashes between the authorities and protesters calling for government and monarchical reforms.                                                                      

    A Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit to discuss political unrest sweeping the country was due to take place on 21 July but cancelled when Eswatini’s King Mswati III failed to appear in person. Campaigners believe King Mswati, Africa’s last absolute monarch, has thwarted calls for reform and suppressed political activism for years. His failure to attend the recent SADC conference was seen as a further blow to democracy.

    “We urge King Mswati to come to the table and start a national political dialogue with members of the opposition and civil society leaders as soon as possible; we call on Eswatini to stop suppressing dissent and silencing protesters and urge the government to overhaul rights and democracy in the country, starting with the release of all activists and human rights defenders currently behind bars,” said Kode.

    Human rights defenders across the world are risking their lives for social, political, economic, gender and environmental justice. There are currently 21 human rights defenders in CIVICUS’s #StandAsMyWitnesscampaign - collectively, they have been in prison for half a century. 

    Aswell as Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube, they include Bahrainian political activist Abdul-Hadi al-Khawaja, sentenced after pro-democracy protests in 2011; Mexican Kenia Hernandez, an Indigenous land rights campaigner sentenced to a decade of imprisonment in 2022; and human rights lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov from Tajikistan, sentenced to 28 years in 2015.

    “CIVICUS renews our calls to governments to release activists and human rights defenders. We urge people around the world to join the #StandAsMyWitness campaign and fight for their freedom - sign a petition, post on social media or lobby your government. Activists behind bars are asking you to #StandAsMyWitness.” 

    So far, #StandAsMyWitness has teamed up with activists and civil society organisations across the world and successfully seen the release of 20 human rights defenders.

    Those released include Loujain al-Hathloul from Saudi Arabia, a women’s rights activist convicted for driving a car; celebrated Indian human rights lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj; and Kazakhstan’s Asya Tulesova, arrested for knocking off a police officer's hat.

    To find out more about the #StandAsMyWitness campaign, visit CIVICUS’s campaign webpage: Stand As My Witness.
  • Eswatini: Over 390 orgs call for an investigation into the murder of activist, Thulani Maseko

    Representatives of the undermentioned civil society organisations are still reeling with shock over the brutal killing of Eswatini human rights defender, Thulani Maseko. Such attacks and the ongoing violence against  pro-democracy campaigners in Eswatini make the search for peace and full respect for human rights in Eswatini even more urgent.
  • Eswatini: Respect democratic rights and stop violence against peaceful protesters

    Eswatini authorities must stop the brutal repression of peaceful protesters and respect the rights of people to demand democratic reform. CIVICUS calls on the authorities in Eswatini to protect the right to protest, which is enshrined in the Eswatini constitution and in international human rights law.
  • Global rights group condemns violent repression of peaceful protests in eSwatini (formerly Swaziland)
    • Global civil society alliance condemns ongoing violations of freedom of assembly
    • At least two protesters shot, several injured in police attacks on marches
    • Hundreds of thousands of workers staged three days of protests
    • Violent police action against peaceful protests comes on eve of controversial elections

    Global human rights groups have condemned the violent repression of peaceful protests in eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) as part of a long-running pattern of fundamental rights violations in the southern African kingdom.

    At least two protesters were shot on Wednesday and several reported injured after police attacked demonstrations by workers, who were protesting the autocracy of King Mswati III, ruler of sub-Saharan Africa’s last remaining absolute monarchy, and calling for improved wages and better working conditions. The workers were among hundreds of thousands of others who responded to a call by the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) to stage three days of peaceful protests, beginning on September 18, in the cities of Manzini, Mbabane, Siteki and Nhlangano.

     The latest incidents in ongoing restrictions on freedom of assembly and expression have come just ahead of today’s highly controversial parliamentary elections. More than 500,000 registered voters are expected to cast ballots for representatives of the legislature – an institution under the firm control of the King. The elections will be held without the participation of political parties, which are banned in Swaziland. 

    Global civil society alliance, CIVICUS, said the brutal police action against protesters violated constitutionally-protected rights to freedom of assembly and highlights the continued actions by the authorities to repress fundamental rights in Africa’s last remaining absolute monarchy.

    “Swazis are unable to participate in political processes and with the tight controls exerted by the authorities over the media, constitutionally-guaranteed peaceful protests remain the only means through which they can raise concerns about issues affecting them,” said David Kode, CIVICUS Campaigns and Advocacy Lead.

    “By using violence against those who exercise this right, the authorities are revealing the true extent of the brutality of the regime,” Kode said.

    The current wave of repression of protesters is the latest in a trend observed since the start of the year to curtail the only means available to citizens to inform the government about issues affecting them. On June 29 for example, the police used brute force to disperse protesting workers as they made their way to deliver a petition to the Deputy Prime Minister’s office, calling for an introduction of a minimum wage and an end to the abuse of small-scale sugarcane workers. Four protesters were injured and hospitalised and one was detained and released after a while. 

    On September 8, police used force to repress demonstrations led by nurses to  express concerns over healthcare cuts and medicine shortages. The protesting healthcare workers were blocked as they tried to deliver a petition to government officials.  Violence was also used against hundreds of trade union members demonstrating against the King’s misuse of the state pension fund.

    King Mswati III unilaterally changed the country’s name from Swaziland to eSwatini in April, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of independence from Britain.

    CIVICUS calls on the authorities to respect the rights of citizens to assemble peacefully and hold to account security forces who targeted peaceful protesters. 

    The CIVICUS Monitor, an online platform that tracks threats to civil society in countries around the world, rates the space for civil society in Swaziland as ‘repressed’.   

    For more information, please contact:

    David Kode
  • Widespread arrests, attacks and legal restrictions facing LGBTQI+ activists across Africa finds new report

    Widespread arrests, attacks and legal restrictions facing LGBTQI+ activists across Africa finds new report

    Johannesburg | 4 July, 2023

    • Same-sex relations criminalised in at least 27 countries south of the Sahara
    • Organisations shut down and offices raided for their work on LGBTQI+ rights
    • Widespread bans on the publication of information on gay rights
    • Anti-LGBTQI+ laws and practices disproportionately impact other excluded groups including women, children and victims of abuse 

    From Uganda to Cameroon, LGBTQI+ activists face significant restrictions due to the prevailing social, cultural and legal attitudes towards homosexuality and gender identity. A new report by CIVICUS, Challenging Barriers: Investigating Civic Space Limitations on LGBTQI+ Rights in Africa, looks at some common challenges faced by activists and civil society groups in countries south of the Sahara.

    Many African countries have laws that criminalise same sex activity. The laws, often remnants of colonial era legislation, can be used to target and prosecute LGBTQI+ individuals, including activists. Penalties range from fines, imprisonment to even the death penalty in some countries. 

    Limited legal protection in many African countries offers little or no protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. This lack of protection makes it difficult for activists and civil society groups to advocate for equal rights or seek justice when they face human rights abuses. The offices and activities of civil society organisations advocating for LGBTQI+ rights have been either raided or shutdown in Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Cameroon.

    Attacks against people who identify as LGBTQI+ are common in countries such as Benin, Cameroon and Kenya. In Cameroon since 2022 there have been over 30 recorded cases of violence and abuse against LGBTQI+ people, while in Kenya sexual minority groups face escalating homophobic attacks. In January 2023, following a series of killings in 2022, unknown assailants murdered and dumped the body of LGBTQI+ activist Edwin Chiloba. Chiloba’s death, which many linked to his sexual orientation sparked public outrage, with civil society groups and members of the public denouncing the murder and calling on the authorities to bring those involved to justice.

    “With the escalating hostility towards the LGBTQ+ community in Africa, this report sheds light on the grave reality faced by many, and compels us to challenge prejudice, and advocate for equality - especially for the most marginalised. Governments must ensure equal protection for all people in accordance with their obligations on non-discrimination under international human rights law. We implore governments to take robust measures to safeguard the rights and well-being of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Sylvia Mbataru, CIVICUS’ Civic Space Researcher for Eastern & Southern Africa.

    Censorship and restrictions on freedom of peaceful assembly have contributed to a deteriorating environment for activists. In several countries, the publication and dissemination of material on LGBTQI+ issues face strict editorial controls and bans. CIVICUS also documents how protests are being suppressed, including the use of various laws to deny permits for public demonstrations, specifically targeting LGBTQI gatherings.

    Despite the hostile environment in many countries, civil society groups continue to advocate for LGBTQI+ rights and score important victories. The report also documents  a number of positive developments including the decriminalization of same sex relations in Botswana and Gabon, as well as a recent Supreme Court decision in Namibia to recognise same-sex marriages concluded abroad between citizens and foreign spouses.

    The report concludes by demonstrating the impact of civic space restrictions against LGBTQI+ groups, and shows how the ramifications of these restrictions also affect other excluded groups including women and children.

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