arbitrarily detained student leaders. Two days
later, two activists were injured when police
used live ammunition against protesters who
were delivering a petition to the Manzini
police headquarters.
TORTURE AND OTHER ILL-TREATMENT
Arbitrary detention remained part of the state
strategy of repression. On 1 June, former
MPs Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi Bacede
Mabuza were found guilty of terrorism,
sedition and murder under the 2008
Suppression of Terrorism Act. They were
arrested for publicly calling for political
reform during the 2021 protests and face up
to 20 years in prison. While in detention
during 2022, they were beaten by
correctional services officers, and denied
access to their lawyers and medical
treatment.
The security forces arbitrarily detained and
tortured political and labour activists,
including Brian Sihlongonyane, a PUDEMO
member, who was abducted, tortured and
dumped in a forest by members of the
Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force after he led
the peaceful delivery of a petition to the UN
on 12 April.
In separate incidents in June and July,
police detained and beat members of the
Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) before
releasing them without charge. The CPS
members also reported that they were
subjected to torture and other ill-treatment in
police custody. No investigations were carried
out by the authorities into the allegations
made against the security forces.
RIGHT TO HEALTH
Public healthcare remained systemically
under-resourced, resulting in nationwide
demonstrations in June and July. Health
personnel and patients protested against the
government’s failure to supply drugs, medical
supplies, equipment, transport and fuel in
public clinics and hospitals. The health
minister acknowledged the crisis, and later
announced that a sub-committee tasked by
the cabinet had introduced strategies for the
166
sustainable financing and delivery of
healthcare.
FORCED EVICTIONS
Hundreds remained at risk of forced evictions
as the government failed to reform the
country’s land governance system, which
limits the right to security of tenure.
Communities in Sigombeni and the Malkerns
continued their legal challenges to evictions.
LGBTI PEOPLE’S RIGHTS
Consensual same-sex sexual conduct
remained a criminal offence, and
discrimination against LGBTI people and
organizations was widespread. In July, the
Supreme Court ruled that the Registrar of
Companies’ refusal to register the Eswatini
Sexual and Gender Minorities (ESGM) as a
non-profit organization was unconstitutional.
The acting minister of commerce and trade
rejected the ruling citing “Roman-Dutch
Law”, and directed the registrar to refuse
ESGM’s application.
ETHIOPIA
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
After the signing of an agreement to end
hostilities, evidence of aid supplies being
diverted led humanitarian agencies to
temporarily suspend food aid to the Tigray
region. Fresh clashes between the federal
army and Amhara Fano militias erupted in
the Amhara region, and human rights
violations, including arbitrary arrests and
detentions, were committed in this context;
extrajudicial executions were carried out in
the Tigray region. Women in Tigray were
subjected to sexual violence. Influential
groups and individuals led a campaign that
culminated in a government crackdown
against LGBTI people. The internet was
shut down in the Amhara region. Access to
social media platforms was restricted across
Ethiopia, and around 30 protesters were
killed. The government successfully
campaigned against regional and
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