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January 25, 2023

U.N. Condemns Assassination of Eswatini Activist, Opposition Politician Thulani Maseko
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In Eswatini, human rights advocates are condemning the assassination of
prominent opposition politician and human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko.
Unknown attackers shot him dead inside his home Saturday. Maseko was a
longtime critic of King Mswati III, who renamed the nation from
Swaziland to Eswatini in 2018. In 2021, mass protests demanding the
abolition of the monarchy erupted; the king's security forces killed and
tortured dozens of people. Maseko provided legal support to detained
protesters. The U.N.'s human rights chief is demanding Eswatini
authorities conduct an independent investigation into Maseko's murder.