Government urged to release prominent lawmakers

Ahead of eSwatini’s 55th Independence Day celebrations last week, global civil society alliance Civicus and the Foundation for Socio Economic Justice (FSEJ) have called on the authorities to immediately release pro-democracy activists Mduduzi Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube. Civicus spokesperson Mandeep Tiwana said ‘they should never should have been arrested in the first place, and should not spend one more minute behind bars’. A report on the allAfrica site notes that police arrested the MPs on 25 July 2021 amid a sweeping and violent crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy and anti-police protests. The protests erupted after the death of 25-year-old law student Thabani Nkomonye, allegedly at the hands of police. On 1 June, a court convicted them of terrorism, sedition and murder. A sentencing date has not been announced. FSEJ director Thabo Masuku said ‘the judiciary should independently uphold the values of justice and equity (and) not harass and intimidate pro-democracy activists like Mabuza and Dube’.

Full report on the allAfrica site