By Bongiwe Dlamini

MBABANE:United Nations(UN) Human Rights Experts have expressed concerns regarding the lack of a political will by the eSwatini Government to investigate the assassination of internationally respected human rights lawyer Thulani Rudolf Maseko.

This comes as the eSwatini Government through Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo continues to threaten Thulani Maseko’s widow Tanele Maseko and others demanding justice for the assassinated human rights lawyer.

In a report released by the UN on Monday,a year after the assassination of the human rights lawyer,the UN Human Rights Experts urged the international community to use its leverage and available mechanisms to ensure that the responsible perpetrators are promptly brought to justice.   

“Thulani was a pillar of the human rights movement, working tirelessly for the protection of human rights, democracy and justice in the country,” said the experts.

The Human Rights Experts further said,they remain concerned that Thulani Maseko may have been directly targeted in retaliation for his work as a human rights lawyer and advocate for democracy. 

“Defending human rights is not a crime.Under no circumstances should activists or human rights defenders, working for a better, just world, be subject to intimidation, threats, violence, reprisals or killings,” said the human rights experts.

The UN human rights experts further noted that,the lack of progress in the investigation into the tragic apparent targeted killing of the prominent human rights defender and lawyer sends the message that the safety and protection of human rights defenders, civil society actors and lawyers cannot be guaranteed and not a priority for the State.

“Thulani’s family and the human rights community in Eswatini have the right to know the truth,” they said.

The UN experts reiterated their call for an effective, impartial and independent investigation into Thulani’s killing, and for concrete measures to protect and ensure safety of all human rights defenders, civil society actors and lawyers in Eswatini.

A questionnaire was sent to Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo,however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

On another note, the UN Human Rights Experts highlighted in the report that, they contacted the Government of eSwatini about the issue.

Thulani Rudolf Maseko, the then Chairperson of the pro-democracy MultiStakeholder Forum(MSF) was assassinated allegedly,by King Mswati mercenaries merely for demanding democracy.

The lawyer was corresponding with the Southern African Development Community(SADC) and other international organizations facilitating a political dialogue as part of peaceful means to usher eSwatini into a new democratic dispensation.