By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:King Mswati was ‘ordered’ by the United Nations Human Rights Council(UNHRC) Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, to release pro-democracy Members of Parliament(MPs) Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube and further compensate them subsequent to the wrongful and politically motivated conviction.

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention is a human rights body tasked with investigating cases of detention that are arbitrary or inconsistent with international standards, the UN released a ruling on the 15th October 2025 after investigating the politically motivated conviction of the two(2) eSwatini pro-democracy MPs.

But it transpired that after being advised that, the ruling might not be in favour of the eSwatini Government, the King through Justice Minister Prince Simelane allegedly manipulated the vulnerable situation of one of the MPs-Mthandeni Dube, tricked and convinced him to apologize and be released in what appeared to be a well-planned political strategy to control public opinion regarding the international pressure demanding the release of the Members of Parliament.

“The Working Group considers that, taking into account all the circumstances of the case, the appropriate remedy would be to release Messrs. Dube and Mabuza immediately and accord them an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law”, reads the ruling in part.

Acting eSwatini Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

On another note, the United Nations(UN) described the arrest and subsequent conviction of the MPs as a gross violation of international law and condemned the eSwatini regime for violating human rights.

But last week, a high level delegation of current MPs allegedly sent by Mswati through his son Prince Lindani visited the remaining incarcerated MP Bacede Mabuza at Matsapha Prison to try and trick him as well “to apologize to the absolute Monarch who allegedly manipulates the Judiciary to suppress dissenting views”

Eswatini is an absolute Monarchy, the pro-democracy MPs were arrested merely for demanding democracy and/or an elected Prime Minister, they were falsely charged with terrorism, murder and subsequently convicted as per an order allegedly issued by King Mswati.

While inside prison, it is alleged that they were consistently assaulted by a battalion of armed Correctional Services, told to apologize to King Mswati and stop demanding democracy.