Armed military police
officers in Swaziland (eSwatini) forced members of the public to do press-ups
when they were found at a bus rank during the present coronavirus lockdown.
Separately, an 85-year-old woman
collapsed and died when security forces raided her home.
These are two of a number
of cases being reported in media in Swaziland about intimidation by police,
army and other security personnel. A 20-day partial lockdown
of the kingdom started on 27 March 2020.
The military police were at
the bus rank in Manzini, the kingdom’s main commercial city, on Monday (6 April
2020). Public buses are restricted to early morning and late afternoon and were
not running at the time of the incident.
The Times of eSwatini reported
eyewitnesses saw the police ordering people to leave because buses were not
operating. ‘Others were ordered to do push-ups in full view of the people
present, including vendors. They alleged that this was after the men failed to
give the military police satisfactory answers on why they were at the bus rank
at that time,’ the Times reported.
It added, ‘As the men did
the push ups with fists on the tarred bus rank surface, the witnesses said some
people used their mobile phones to take pictures and videos. They said their
actions landed them in trouble and the military men ordered them to delete the
pictures and videos before joining those who were doing the push-ups.’
Elsewhere, An 85-year-old
woman collapsed and died at her home on the outskirts of the Swazi capital
Mbabane when police and correctional services forces raided her home.
The eSwatini News
reported that the woman sold alcoholic beverages for a living. Bars have been
closed during the present coronavirus lockdown.
The woman’s son said three
police officers and about four Correctional Services officers arrived on
Thursday (2 April 2020) just when he and his mother had locked themselves
inside their separate flats and were preparing for bed. He heard banging on
doors but thought it might be customers looking for alcohol.
He then realised they were
police. He told the News, ‘They
also threatened to arrest me and I could hear that they were slapping some
people and even ordering them to tell the truth.’
The woman collapsed and
died. Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Nosipho
Mnguni confirmed the incident.
On Sunday police ‘invaded
and forcefully closed’ two churches in Mbabane during services, according to
the Times of eSwatini.
Regulations ban gatherings of more than 20 people.
Separately, Lawyers for
Human Rights in Swaziland urged police and other security personnel not to
mistreat businesspeople and the public during the lockdown. It came after
reports from all regions of Swaziland that they were harassing and assaulting
people in order to enforce the lockdown regulations.
Some businesses previously claimed
they were being asked to pay bribes to police
and army in order to remain open.
Police were also reportedly stopping people
on the streets of Mbabane and demanding proof of residence.
See also
King
puts Swaziland into partial lockdown in bid to beat coronavirus. Army and
police on standby
More
businesses in Swaziland to close as Govt tightens coronavirus lockdown
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