More than four years after Eswatini’s June 2021 pro-democracy protests, no member of the country’s security forces has been held accountable for the use of excessive and lethal force against demonstrators and civilians. During the unrest, tasers, teargas, rubber bullets, and live ammunition were deployed against protesters and bystanders, resulting in scores of deaths and hundreds of injuries. Many victims continue to face hardship without access to justice or remedies. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the Eswatini government to strengthen safeguards against abuse, conduct independent investigations, and provide reparations to victims and survivors.
In a new report titled “You’ll Die Waiting for Justice,” HRW details how the Royal Eswatini Police Service and the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force indiscriminately fired on civilians during the June 2021 protests. The report highlights the government’s failure to hold perpetrators accountable, noting that authorities have instead escalated repression by targeting critics, restricting peaceful assemblies, and ignoring long-standing demands for democratic reform. The findings expose a persistent culture of impunity and the dire conditions faced by victims who have received no support or acknowledgment from the state.
HRW interviewed 15 Swati nationals between the ages of 18 and 68, including direct victims, family members of those killed, and civil society representatives. Many reported being shot or assaulted by security personnel, while others recounted the loss of loved ones with no follow-up from police or judicial authorities. Several victims and activists have since fled to South Africa to escape political persecution. One widow who filed a case after her husband’s killing in 2021 has yet to receive any update, reflecting the government’s inaction in pursuing justice.
The report also underscores the chilling effect of the 2023 assassination of human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko, who had represented several victims of the 2021 violence. His death has deepened the sense of hopelessness among survivors and weakened the fight for accountability. The Eswatini Commission on Human Rights and Public Administration had previously documented 46 deaths and 245 injuries from gunfire, including children, but its report failed to name those responsible or trigger meaningful investigations. Civil society groups contend that the real death toll likely exceeds 100.
HRW stresses that Eswatini is legally bound under international law to ensure accountability for security force abuses through effective investigations, prosecutions, and reparations. The organization urges the government to establish victim-support mechanisms, collaborate with survivor networks, and conduct transparent inquiries into the events of June 2021. Without such measures, the victims of Eswatini’s most violent crackdown in recent history will continue to wait in vain for justice.
