The European Parliament adopted the resolution on the situation of human rights defenders in Eswatini, notably the murder of Thulani Maseko.
The text adopted in plenary was tabled by the EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA, ECR, the Left groups and Members.
As a reminder, in Eswatini, the last absolute monarchy in Africa, human rights and fundamental freedoms are curtailed and political parties are outlawed. On 21 January 2023, Thulani Maseko, a prominent human rights and trade union lawyer and chairman of Eswatini pro-democracy organisation the Multi-Stakeholder Forum, renowned for his efforts in advancing democracy, the rule of law, good governance and human rights, was killed at his home just hours after King Mswati III made threats against members of Eswatini’s pro-democracy movement.
Moreover, Members of the Eswatini Parliament Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza have been in jail since July 2021.
Parliament strongly condemned the killing of Thulani Maseko. It called for a prompt, independent, impartial, transparent and thorough investigation, under the auspices of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the UN, into the attacks against other pro-democracy and human rights activists and the alleged recruitment of mercenaries to help security forces repress opposition.
The resolution also condemned the widespread human rights violations in Eswatini and called for the immediate release of all political prisoners – particularly MPs Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza – and an immediate end to the harassment, violence and pressure exercised against human rights defenders, trade unionists, pro-democracy activists and politicians.
Parliament considered the imprisonment of politicians and human rights defenders and the banning of trade unions to be clear contraventions of Eswatini’s commitments under the Cotonou Agreement. The authorities in Eswatini are called on to respect their commitments and launch, without delay, a comprehensive dialogue with all affected stakeholders to work towards national reconciliation and the protection of human rights, the rule of law and democracy, with the ultimate goal of lasting peace, mediated and supported by the Southern African Development Community.
Lastly, the EU is called on to review and, where applicable, suspend support programmes for Eswatini where funds risk being used for activities that violate human rights.