20 December 2019

Just after 06h00 this morning, 20 December 2019, Swaziland's royal police invaded the home of Comrade Dumisani Fakudze, the National Chairperson of the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS), and detained him. The police are engaged in an anti-democracy campaign, raiding the leaders of other progressive formations as well and detaining them.

The absolute monarchy's police went on to confiscate the CPS National Chairperson's computer and some documents. He was taken to the Manzini Police Regional Headquarters.

The Mswati autocracy is clearly on a desperate mission to suppress dissent. This raid and detention comes shortly after the people of Swaziland united in their resolute call for democracy, demanding the overthrow of the tinkhundla regime during the #MswatiMustFall campaign. Political parties remain banned in Swaziland. Mswati rules Swaziland as an absolute monarch. Advocates of human rights and democracy are routinely detained and charged under the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008, often after intense torture.

The Communist Party of Swaziland demands the release of its National Chairperson and all the other detained leaders.