Civicus Monitor
    FACTS
    PROTEST DATA
    GLOBAL FINDINGS
    WATCHLIST
    EXPLORE
    ABOUT
Civicus Monitor
    FACTS
    PROTEST DATA
    GLOBAL FINDINGS
    WATCHLIST
    EXPLORE
    ABOUT
Civicus Monitor
    FACTS
    PROTEST DATA
    GLOBAL FINDINGS
    WATCHLIST
    EXPLORE
    ABOUT

Police raid homes of pro-democracy activists

#Swaziland police in mass raids on homes of democracy activists, some detained #eswatini https://t.co/wPl4UtIFzH @mailandguardian @TheCitizen_News @TimesLIVE @IOL @News24 @SowetanLIVE @BBCAfrica @SABCNewsOnline @AFPAfrica @ReutersAfrica @City_Press @dailymaverick @NewsInSA @AP

— Swazi Media (@SwaziMedia) December 20, 2019

Association 

In late December 2019, it was reported that police officers raided the homes of pro-democracy activists in Mbabane, in the name of His Majesty King Mswati III. The officers had obtained court warrants which allowed them to seize electronic gadgets and other belongings of their targets, who included political activists and leaders of the Political Parties Assembly (PPA), Ngwane National Liberation Congress’s (NNLC) Sibongile Mazibuko, The People's United Democratic Movement’s (PUDEMO) Secretary General Wandile Dludlu and other pro-democracy activists. It is alleged that they were targeted for calling for democratic reforms.

Sibusiso Nhlabatsi, a human rights lawyer said:

“No matter how unlimited the powers of the King might be, it cannot be justified that he uses the police to silence dissenters. He should lead a dialogue”

The police however denied allegations that they were targeting activists, claiming that the searches were random and intelligence led.

As previously reported on the CIVICUS Monitor, in 2019, protests began to escalate in the country as pro-democracy citizens and activists demanded political reforms in the country which is ruled under an absolute monarchy by King Mswati III. Political parties have been banned in the country since 1973, and the government has often stifled dissent and demonstrations.

Civic Space Developments
Country
Eswatini
Country rating
Repressed
Category
Latest Developments
Tags
Date Posted

03.03.2020

Back to civic space developments

Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Site by DEV | Login

Privacy Policy

Contact us privacy@civicus.org