MBABANE – Liswati activist Melusi Simelane has delivered a strong call for action on behalf of the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) at the 83rd Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, held in Banjul, The Gambia.
Speaking on behalf of SALC, Simelane urged African leaders to move beyond expressions of concern and take decisive steps to confront a worsening human rights crisis on the continent. His presentation, delivered during the NGO Forum preceding the official session, outlined urgent regional issues, including media repression, marginalization, armed conflict, prison conditions, and environmental injustices.
Simelane drew attention to what he described as an “ongoing assault” on press freedom, citing Zimbabwe as a flashpoint where journalists are subjected to arbitrary arrests and violence. He called on governments to align national laws with the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa.
He further raised alarm over discriminatory laws that criminalize poverty, identity, and status, urging states to reform these laws and implement social protection policies rooted in human rights principles.
Turning to conflict zones in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan, Simelane called for greater accountability, protection of civilians, and unrestricted humanitarian access. He condemned violations of international humanitarian and human rights law by both governments and armed groups.
He also spoke on the need for prison reform across the region, calling for independent oversight and transparency in detention systems, and warned that the lack of justice in these spaces undermines peace and democracy.
On climate issues, Simelane urged the Commission to treat environmental justice as a human rights priority, pushing for accountability from states and protections for vulnerable communities impacted by climate change.
Simelane’s intervention was delivered on behalf of over 20 civil society organisations in Southern Africa.
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