Dozens held ahead of Swaziland protest: activists
JOHANNESBURG — Up to 50 people were arrested Monday in Swaziland, the day before a planned protest to call attention to human rights abuses in Africa's last absolute monarchy, activists said.
The pro-democracy activists were arrested at the Tum's George Hotel in the city of Manzini, according to the South African labour federation Cosatu and the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA), funded by financier George Soros.
"We demand their immediate and unconditional release by the Swazi regime, which is once again displaying is brutal opposition to any democratic opposition," Cosatu said in a statement.
The activists included Swazi labour leaders as well as Cosatu officials who went to the tiny mountain kingdom to support the protest slated for Tuesday, it said.
"The authorities in Swaziland have become more and more repressive and intolerant in recent years and this is yet another example of the police acting with impunity and outside the rule of law," OSISA executive director Sisonke Msimang said.
"It is time that the world understood what kind of regime runs Swaziland. It is a regime that has no respect for human rights, no respect for the rule of law and no respect for democracy," Msimang added.
The arrests came ahead of protests planned in Swaziland and other countries, meant to highlight the absolute rule of King Mswati III, who governs by decree.
Political organisations have been outlawed since 1973 in the impoverished southern African country, which is known for the lavish lifestyles of the 42-year-old king and his 13 wives.
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King Mswati III has been criticised for having thirteen wives.
Around 50 people have been arrested ahead of a planned human rights protest in Swaziland. The protest had been planned against the monarchy of Swaziland to call attention to the country's alleged lack of human rights. Many of those arrested have been released but several people remain in custody.

The King of Swaziland, Mswati III, has come under pressure for living in luxury with his thirteen wives while many Swazi people are on the poverty line. He has also faced criticism for having a high number of sexual partners, when 26% of 15 to 49 year olds are HIV positive.

Several South African trade unionists were included in the protesters arrested.  A spokesman for , the South African trade union federation, said that two of the unionists had not been released and their current whereabouts are unknown.

Human rights group Amnesty International has commented on the events saying that, "The arbitrary arrest of these political activists, lawyers, trade unionists and journalists is nothing short of police harassment and intimidation."

Swaziland is the last country in Africa to hold an .