A coalition of human rights lawyers and civil society groups has taken the Eswatini government to court over its decision to accept five foreign nationals deported by the United States under a secretive arrangement with Washington. The deportees, originally from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Yemen, and Cuba were flown into Eswatini in July on orders from US President Donald Trump’s administration, which labeled them “dangerous criminals.” Local activists argue the deal is unconstitutional because it bypassed parliamentary approval, breaching due process requirements.
The men are currently being held in solitary confinement at Matsapha Maximum Security Correctional Centre, a notoriously overcrowded facility operating at nearly 190% capacity. Rights groups claim lawyers and families have been denied access to the detainees, raising concerns over inhumane treatment. King Mswati III, Africa’s last absolute monarch, has downplayed the controversy, insisting the deportees pose no threat and that the agreement reflects “good diplomatic relations” with Washington. But critics say the move undermines Eswatini’s sovereignty and burdens an already strained prison system.
The case was scheduled for hearing at the High Court last Friday but was postponed to 25 September after the government reportedly failed to submit its response. Eswatini’s Attorney General dismissed the challenge as “frivolous,” maintaining that the state acted within its powers. The legal fight comes as Trump pushes forward with his broader immigration crackdown, which includes increasing deportations to third countries willing to accept non-citizens with no ties to their territory.
