Unchecked State Repression: A Continent-Wide Trend on the Rise

Strategic Insights -

As Eswatini marks four years since the imprisonment of pro-democracy activists Mduduzi Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube, a worrying trend of unchecked state repression is unfolding across the continent. The two men were sentenced under the country's notorious Suppression of Terrorism Act for calling for democratic reform during the June 2021 protests. Their ongoing imprisonment serves as a harsh reminder that democratic ideals are easily betrayed when the world looks away.

Key Takeaways:

  • Mduduzi Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube, former members of parliament, have been imprisoned for four years for calling for democratic reform in Eswatini.
  • The country's Suppression of Terrorism Act has been used to silence pro-democracy activists, with many facing harsh sentences and imprisonment.
  • Unchecked state repression is a continent-wide trend, with 11 African countries experiencing restrictions on civic space, including East Africa, West Africa, North Africa, and Southern Africa.
  • In 2020, the civic space index reported that over 90% of Africans live in countries with restricted, repressed, or closed civic space.
  • International pressure and solidarity can lead to the release of detained human rights defenders, with the Stand As My Witness campaign contributing to the release of 31 people globally.
  • The African Union and regional blocs must act decisively to protect democratic norms and prevent human rights abuses.
  • Donor countries and diplomatic partners must centre civic space in bilateral relations and hold governments accountable for human rights abuses.

Statistics:

  • 11 environmental activists were arrested in Uganda on April 23 for peacefully marching to deliver a letter to KCB Bank.
  • Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu has been in detention since April 2025 for agitating for democratic reform and faces treason charges.
  • Egyptian human rights lawyer Hoda Abdel Moneim has been detained for an unspecified length of time for her work as a human rights defender.
  • Tunisian humanitarian worker Mustapha Jemmali has been detained for an unspecified length of time for his refugee advocacy.
  • The Stand As My Witness campaign has contributed to the release of 31 people globally, including Algerian human rights defenders Zakaria Hannache and Kamira Nait Said, Burundian journalist Floriane Irangabiye, and Zimbabwean union leader Obert Masaraure.

Sources:

  • Civicus
  • Stand As My Witness campaign
  • The civic space index
  • DM Kgalalelo Gaebee and Dr Paul Mulindwa, "Eswatini's pro-democracy activists languish in jail" by Civicus