Eswatini government faces court challenge over US deportees

A group of human rights lawyers and NGOs are suing the Eswatini government for accepting five people deported by the United States.

They say the secret deal with US President Donald Trump’s administration’s to accept third-country deportees is unconstitutional.

In their legal challenge, they claim the government violated due process because it was not submitted to parliament for approval.

In addition, the jail where the men are being held is 190% over capacity and they say no-one has had access to the prisoners.

The deportees from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Yemen, and Cuba, who Washington says are dangerous criminals, were flown into the country in July.

Eswatini says it is holding them in solitary confinement until they can be repatriated.

Their imprisonment at the maximum security Matsapha Correctional Centre, has caused outrage in Eswatini, an absolute monarchy ruled by King Mswati III.

The king previously said the deportees pose no threat and that the agreement was based purely on its good relations with Washington.

The case was due be heard at the country’s High Court on Friday, but was postponed until  25 September, reportedly because the government did not file response papers.

Eswatini’s attorney general told Reuters news agency that the case had no basis, adding that it was “a frivolous legal application”.

Trump aims to deport millions of immigrants who entered the US illegally and his administration has sought to increase removals to third countries.