Swazi govt 'violated rights'

2004-07-29 09:09

Johannesburg - The government of Swazi King Mswati III urgently needed to resolve the constitutional and human rights crisis that has left the country without a court of appeal since 2002 and undermined the government's new international human rights obligations, Amnesty International said in a statement received in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

In a report published on Thursday, titled "Swaziland: Human rights at risk in a climate of political and legal uncertainty", Amnesty International showed how the government's contempt for court rulings and judicial independence has denied people effective legal redress and has allowed impunity for perpetrators of human rights violations.

Despite Swaziland becoming a state party to four key human rights treaties between April and June 2004, there was a wide gap between promises and practices in the southern African country.

"Swaziland must back up its recent commitments to international human rights standards by re-establishing the rule of law and confronting the systematic violation of civil, political, economic and social rights. These steps are also essential to addressing the country's profound humanitarian crisis", Amnesty International said.

- SAPA