By Bongiwe Dlamini

MBABANE: Sakhile Awviva Nxumalo, the President of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) Youth League, the Swaziland Youth Congress(SWAYOCO) and other political activists were assaulted by King Mswati’s police as security forces intensify crackdown on pro-democracy activists in this tiny undemocratic Kingdom of eSwatini.

This was during the sentencing of convicted pro-democracy Members of Parliament(MPs) Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube at the High Court on Tuesday morning, the police were allegedly ordered to shoot and assault supporters of the pro-democracy MPs to discourage them from attending the court case.

The sentencing of the MPs who were arrested and subsequently convicted on politically motivated terrorism charges, was then postponed indefinitely after the police disrupted court proceedings and went on to assault political activists. 

Police Spokesperson Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati declined to comment regarding the ongoing human rights violations by the State police.

Reached for comments on Tuesday evening, Penuel Malinga, the PUDEMO Secretary General(SG) said, the conduct of the police who assaulted citizens merely to attending the MPs court case, “is a clear indication that the United States(US) Congress did not make a mistake by passing the sanctions resolution.

“What happened on Tuesday where citizens were assaulted just for being in court to support the MPs is an indication that, the US sanctions resolution was not a mistake, human rights are violated in this country. The King is all out, silencing anyone who supports the MPs or call for democracy”, said the PUDEMO Secretary General(SG).

Eswatini is ruled by Mswati as a absolute Monarch, political parties are banned from participating in elections while human rights defenders,political activists, pro-democracy MPs and independent journalists are arrested, tortured or even killed for criticizing the King or calling for democracy.