ESWATINI: FIVE DETAINED DEPORTEES DENIED LEGAL ACCESS

Your Excellency,

I write with concern for five men: Roberto Mosquera Del Peral, Kassim Saleh Wasil, Dung Tien Nguyen, Phone Chomsavanh, and Orville Etoria, who on July 16, were deported from the U.S. to Eswatini, as part of the U.S.’ mass deportation campaign, and are currently being held in arbitrary detention.

The five men are reportedly being held at Matsapha Correctional Complex in Matsapha, Eswatini, but the authorities have yet to officially confirm their exact location. Nor have they provided any lawful basis or clarification for their detention.

Furthermore, despite numerous attempts and requests by the lawyers to access the five men – all of which were denied, the men have now been held for two months  This constitutes a violation of both international and Eswatini’s own constitutional law and could provide a context in which torture and other ill-treatment may occur, increasing concern for the five men’s health and wellbeing.

I respectfully urge your office to clarify in writing the legal basis for any detention and produce the men promptly before a competent court or release them if no lawful basis exists. In addition, guarantee consistent, unmonitored, in-person access to their lawyer with no audio/video monitoring or staff presence. Finally, respect the principle of non-refoulement, ensuring they are not removed to any country where they face a real risk of human rights violations.

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]