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2023/2551(RSP) Resolution on the situation of human rights defenders in Eswatini, notably the murder of Thulani Maseko

Progress: Procedure completed

Legal Basis:
RoP 144-p2

Events

2023/02/16
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
Documents
Results of vote in Parliament
2023/02/16
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted the resolution on the situation of human rights defenders in Eswatini, notably the murder of Thulani Maseko.

The text adopted in plenary was tabled by the EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA, ECR, the Left groups and Members.

As a reminder, in Eswatini, the last absolute monarchy in Africa, human rights and fundamental freedoms are curtailed and political parties are outlawed. On 21 January 2023, Thulani Maseko, a prominent human rights and trade union lawyer and chairman of Eswatini pro-democracy organisation the Multi-Stakeholder Forum, renowned for his efforts in advancing democracy, the rule of law, good governance and human rights, was killed at his home just hours after King Mswati III made threats against members of Eswatini’s pro-democracy movement.

Moreover, Members of the Eswatini Parliament Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza have been in jail since July 2021.

Parliament strongly condemned the killing of Thulani Maseko. It called for a prompt, independent, impartial, transparent and thorough investigation, under the auspices of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the UN, into the attacks against other pro-democracy and human rights activists and the alleged recruitment of mercenaries to help security forces repress opposition.

The resolution also condemned the widespread human rights violations in Eswatini and called for the immediate release of all political prisoners – particularly MPs Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza – and an immediate end to the harassment, violence and pressure exercised against human rights defenders, trade unionists, pro-democracy activists and politicians.

Parliament considered the imprisonment of politicians and human rights defenders and the banning of trade unions to be clear contraventions of Eswatini’s commitments under the Cotonou Agreement. The authorities in Eswatini are called on to respect their commitments and launch, without delay, a comprehensive dialogue with all affected stakeholders to work towards national reconciliation and the protection of human rights, the rule of law and democracy, with the ultimate goal of lasting peace, mediated and supported by the Southern African Development Community.

Lastly, the EU is called on to review and, where applicable, suspend support programmes for Eswatini where funds risk being used for activities that violate human rights.

Documents
T9-0049/2023
2023/02/15
   EP - Debate in Parliament
Documents
Debate in Parliament
2023/02/13
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
B9-0124/2023
2023/02/13
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
B9-0125/2023
2023/02/13
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
B9-0136/2023
2023/02/13
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
B9-0137/2023
2023/02/13
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
B9-0138/2023
2023/02/13
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
B9-0140/2023

Documents

Activities

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

2023-08-03Show (5) Changes | Timetravel
docs/6
date
2023-02-16T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0049_EN.html title: T9-0049/2023
type
Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
body
EP
events/1
date
2023-02-16T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0049_EN.html title: T9-0049/2023
events/1
date
2023-02-16T00:00:00
type
Results of vote in Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=59531&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
events/2
date
2023-02-16T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0049_EN.html title: T9-0049/2023
events/2/summary
  • The European Parliament adopted the resolution on the situation of human rights defenders in Eswatini, notably the murder of Thulani Maseko.
  • The text adopted in plenary was tabled by the EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA, ECR, the Left groups and Members.
  • As a reminder, in Eswatini, the last absolute monarchy in Africa, human rights and fundamental freedoms are curtailed and political parties are outlawed. On 21 January 2023, Thulani Maseko, a prominent human rights and trade union lawyer and chairman of Eswatini pro-democracy organisation the Multi-Stakeholder Forum, renowned for his efforts in advancing democracy, the rule of law, good governance and human rights, was killed at his home just hours after King Mswati III made threats against members of Eswatini’s pro-democracy movement.
  • Moreover, Members of the Eswatini Parliament Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza have been in jail since July 2021.
  • Parliament strongly condemned the killing of Thulani Maseko. It called for a prompt, independent, impartial, transparent and thorough investigation, under the auspices of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the UN, into the attacks against other pro-democracy and human rights activists and the alleged recruitment of mercenaries to help security forces repress opposition.
  • The resolution also condemned the widespread human rights violations in Eswatini and called for the immediate release of all political prisoners – particularly MPs Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza – and an immediate end to the harassment, violence and pressure exercised against human rights defenders, trade unionists, pro-democracy activists and politicians.
  • Parliament considered the imprisonment of politicians and human rights defenders and the banning of trade unions to be clear contraventions of Eswatini’s commitments under the Cotonou Agreement. The authorities in Eswatini are called on to respect their commitments and launch, without delay, a comprehensive dialogue with all affected stakeholders to work towards national reconciliation and the protection of human rights, the rule of law and democracy, with the ultimate goal of lasting peace, mediated and supported by the Southern African Development Community.
  • Lastly, the EU is called on to review and, where applicable, suspend support programmes for Eswatini where funds risk being used for activities that violate human rights.
2023-02-17Show (5) Changes | Timetravel
docs/6
date
2023-02-16T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0049_EN.html title: T9-0049/2023
type
Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
body
EP
events
  • date: 2023-02-15T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CRE-9-2023-02-15-TOC_EN.html title: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2023-02-16T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0049_EN.html title: T9-0049/2023
forecasts
  • date: 2023-02-16T00:00:00 title: Vote in plenary scheduled
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting plenary debate/vote
New
Procedure completed
procedure/title
Old
The situation of human rights defenders in Eswatini, notably the murder of Thulani Maseko
New
Resolution on the situation of human rights defenders in Eswatini, notably the murder of Thulani Maseko
2023-02-16Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
forecasts/0
date
2023-02-15T00:00:00
title
Debate in plenary scheduled
2023-02-15Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
docs
  • date: 2023-02-13T00:00:00 docs: url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2023-0124_EN.html title: B9-0124/2023 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
  • date: 2023-02-13T00:00:00 docs: url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2023-0125_EN.html title: B9-0125/2023 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
  • date: 2023-02-13T00:00:00 docs: url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2023-0136_EN.html title: B9-0136/2023 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
  • date: 2023-02-13T00:00:00 docs: url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2023-0137_EN.html title: B9-0137/2023 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
  • date: 2023-02-13T00:00:00 docs: url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2023-0138_EN.html title: B9-0138/2023 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
  • date: 2023-02-13T00:00:00 docs: url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2023-0140_EN.html title: B9-0140/2023 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
2023-02-11Show (3) Changes
forecasts/0
date
2023-02-15T00:00:00
title
Debate in plenary scheduled
forecasts/0
date
2023-02-13T00:00:00
title
Indicative plenary sitting date
forecasts/1
date
2023-02-16T00:00:00
title
Vote in plenary scheduled
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