BNP spokesperson Machesetsa Mofomobe
’Marafaele Mohloboli
THE Transformation Resource Centre (TRC) has expressed concern over government’s silence in the face of actions by some members of the police force which undermined citizens’ freedoms of expression and association.
This follows several incidents including the alleged intimidation of opposition Basotho National Party (BNP) spokesperson, Machesetsa Mofomobe by suspected police officers who sought to detain him when he visited the offices of the Lesotho Times in Lower Thetsane for an interview last Wednesday.
In another development, Alliance of Democrats (AD) youth leader, Thuso Litjobo was also detained before being hauled before the courts for allegedly defaming Assistant Commissioner of Police Maseru Urban, Motlatsi Mapola.
The case was thrown out on the grounds that there was no prima facie basis for proceeding to trial last week.
TRC Programmes Director, Lenka Thamae said his organisation was concerned about the “disregard of human rights” by government and the fact that “there is no reprimand of the perpetrators to stop their barbaric actions which fly in the face of the Constitution of Lesotho which guarantees rights and freedoms to every citizen”.
“We condemn in the strongest terms these violations of human rights which appear to be an effort to suppress freedoms of expression and association of the people opposing the current regime,” Mr Thamae said.
He said the TRC was appealing to the public as well as local and international partners to join them in “stating unequivocally that illegal arrests, abductions and violations of human rights of citizens cannot be tolerated and have no place in a democratic dispensation”.
He said such actions tainted the image of the country and compromised the rule of law especially at a time when there were efforts towards crafting reform policies to stabilise the country.
