22 Jan. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The humanitarian and opposition activist Thulani Maseko has been assassinated at his home in Mbabane, the executive capital of Eswatini, as confirmed by the Government of the African country in a statement.
The authorities have indicated that Maseko was riddled with shots by “unknown criminals” and have promised an investigation in this regard, according to the note, collected by the South African news portal News24.
Eswatini, a country of about 1.3 million people known as Swaziland until 2018, has been ruled as an absolute monarchy by Mswati III since 1986. The monarch controls parliament and appoints ministers, drawing criticism for his monopoly of power.
The Government, criticized on numerous occasions by Maseko, has warned that it will not allow “speculations and insinuations that are usually disseminated, particularly on social media platforms, in cases like these.”
“Once again, the Government clearly disassociates itself and the country’s authorities from these atrocious acts,” the authorities add.
The South African judicial NGO Freedom Under Law regrets that the murder of Maseko, whom it described as a “relentless and intrepid” defender of human rights, “should not surprise anyone”.
“He had suffered for too long at the hands of a negligent regime. But he lived by a motto: My head is bloody, but upright. I am the master of my destiny: I am the captain of my soul,” according to the NGO.
“Unfortunately, and to the shame of those who are dedicated to the administration of justice in their country, it ended up becoming, all too often, a lonely beacon of light,” the group denounced.
