Dozens killed, tortured and kidnapped as pro-democracy protests escalate

Eswatini’s government has launched a ruthless human rights crackdown in response to pro-democracy protests, killing dozens and many more tortured, detained or kidnapped, Amnesty International said today.

“Eswatini’s government has launched a frontal assault on human rights in response to the ongoing pro-democracy protests. Dozens of people have been killed for daring to demand that their government respect human rights, many of whom are human rights defenders and activists, ”said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s director for Eastern and Southern Africa.

“We urge the authorities in Eswatini to end this escalation of repression and to ensure that people can exercise their human rights peacefully, including by allowing them to freely express their views without fear of violent reprisals. ”

So far, at least 20 people have reportedly been killed by state security forces, and six others who participated in the protests are missing. At least 150 protesters were hospitalized with injuries, including gunshot wounds from live ammunition fired by police.

Although there were acts of violence associated with the protests, the authorities should have reacted in a differentiated and proportionate manner and respected and protected the right to peaceful assembly of those demonstrating peacefully. Since protests erupted last month, human rights defenders and activists have been the subject of an orchestrated campaign of intimidation, including being placed under illegal surveillance with state helicopters flying over their homes.

Dozens of protesters died at the hands of security forces that were deployed to crush pro-democracy protests. Police and soldiers used excessive force, including live ammunition, to deal with protesters.

Amnesty International is aware, from official sources, of the names of more than 20 people who have been killed by state security forces so far, while at least six others are missing. Some bodies of the Dups funeral home and crematorium in Manzini have not yet been identified. More than 150 people have been hospitalized and are being treated for gunshot wounds in hospitals in Mbabane and Manzini.

Amnesty International is calling on the authorities in Eswatini to allow pathologists and independent doctors access to those killed and to ensure that they can carry out full medical examinations to determine the circumstances of their death.

“The authorities must conduct a prompt, thorough, impartial, independent and transparent investigation into allegations of excessive use of force and bring to justice anyone suspected of being responsible in a fair trial. ”

Internet shutdown and victimization of dissent

Since the protests began, authorities in Eswatini have worked with independent telecommunications companies like multinational MTN to impose a communications and internet blackout to restrict online information sharing. Amnesty International calls for an end to the telecommunications blackout, which constitutes a flagrant violation of the rights to freedom of expression and information.

Hundreds of protesters have been arrested and face criminal charges, including malicious property damage, and a crisis in prison capacity looms amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The authorities are using the law as a weapon to crush dissent, a deliberate attempt to silence calls for human rights reform,” said Deprose Muchena.

Background

Protests began last month in Eswatini’s kingdom, following the mysterious death of 25-year-old law student Thabani Nkomonye in May, allegedly at the hands of police. His body was found in a field in Nhlambeni, about 10 km from Manzini. Protesters, led by young activists, are calling for reforms in a country where political activism has been suppressed for years.

Eswatini is the last absolute monarchy on the African continent, and authorities use repressive laws, including the 1938 Sedition and Subversive Activities Act (SSA Act) and the 2008 Suppression of Terrorism Act (STA), to silence the critics. Journalists, human rights defenders and political activists have been jailed simply for speaking out against this crackdown on dissent for many years.