UN rights chief urges 'impartial' probe after Eswatini killing

"Thulani Maseko was a stalwart of human rights who, at great risk to himself, spoke up for many who couldn't speak up for themselves," Volker Turk said in a statement.

"His cold-blooded killing has deprived Eswatini, southern Africa and the world of a true champion and advocate for peace, democracy and human rights."

Maseko was shot dead on Saturday night by unknown attackers at his home in Luhleko, around 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the capital Mbabane, an opposition spokesman told AFP.

He was shot through the window while he was inside with his family, the spokesman said.

In his statement, Turk called on the Eswatini authorities "to ensure a prompt, independent, impartial and effective investigation is held into his killing... and to hold all those responsible to account in fair trials."

Maseko, a leading human rights lawyer and columnist, was the founder of the Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF), a coalition of opposition parties, associations and churches.

In 2014, he was jailed for contempt of court over articles critical of the government and judiciary but was acquitted on appeal and released a year later.

And he had a pending court battle with King Mswati III over the monarch's decision to rename the country Eswatini by decree.

The name was changed from Swaziland to Eswatini to mark the 50th anniversary of its independence from Britain in 2018.

Maseko argued that the king had not followed the constitution in the process.

Human rights organisation Swazi Lives Matter on Monday called on countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region to send a peacekeeping mission "to protect and safeguard the Swazi people against the rising insecurity caused by the regime".

The opposition leader of neighbouring Zimbabwe, Nelson Chamisa, condemned the killing on Sunday, writing on Twitter that "Africa can't be a breeding ground for murder and violence".

Last week, the Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN) alleged that the king had hired mercenaries, mainly white Afrikaners from neighbouring South Africa, to help Eswatini's security forces suppress rising opposition to his regime.

Government spokesman Alpheous Nxumalo has said "no hitmen have been hired".

At the time of his death, Maseko was the legal representative for two members of parliament facing trial for offences allegedly committed during the civil unrest that rocked Eswatini in 2021, according to the UN rights office.

Maseko's death came just hours after the king challenged activists fighting to end Africa's last absolute monarchy.

"People should not shed tears and complain about mercenaries killing them," King Mswati had said.

In addition to calling for an investigation of Maseko's death, Turk demanded Monday that the Eswatini authorities "ensure the safety and security of all Eswatini people, including human rights defenders, journalists and political activists and... protect civic space."

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