Lesotho became independent from the United Kingdom in 1966. The period until 1998 saw a series of annulled elections andmilitary coups.[2]
The following chart shows Lesotho's ratings since 1972 in theFreedom in the World reports, published annually byFreedom House. A rating of 1 is "free"; 7, "not free".[4]1
The early 1970s saw the detainment ofpolitical refugee members of thePan Africanist Congress of Azania — a splinter group of theAfrican National Congress — from South Africa.Ntsu Mokhehle, the leader of theBasutoland Congress Party (BCP), was also detained as a political prisoner.[5] A visit byJoan Lestor, Baroness Lestor of Eccles on behalf of Amnesty International (AI) revealed that 90 - 100 members of the BCP were being detained.[6] Most had been released by January 1972.[7] On 6 January 1974, however 20 more members were arrested. After attacks by armed gangs on police sub-stations the next day, further arrests were made, bringing the total to more than 170.[8] On top of this, the BCP claimed over 80 people were killed by the government in retaliation.[9] Many of those arrested were charged with treason.[8] As of 1978 nine members of the BCP were still being held in theMaseru Central Prison.[10]
After clashes and bomb explosions in May 1979, the situation once again became tense between the BCP and the rulingBasotho National Party. After cabinet ministerChief Lepatoa Mou was assassinated by insurgents, the Police Mobile Unit (PMU) began retaliatory attacks, assaulting and killing civilians inButha-Buthe District. By the end of 1979 more than 600 people had fled to South Africa. These political refugees claimed at least fifty suspected supporters of the insurgents had been killed by the government.[11] 1980 saw many political arrests, including of at least four professors of theNational University of Lesotho.[12]
Another series of explosions occurred 1981, including one at theNational Airport. These were attributed to the BCP's banned militaristic wing, theLesotho Liberation Army (LLA). In retaliation the PMU reportedly broke into the home ofBenjamin Masilo, chair of theChristian Council of Lesotho. He narrowly escaped death and fled abroad, but his grandson was killed. The PMU then abducted and killedEdgar Motuba, an outspoken critic of the government and editor of the weeklyLeselinyana la Lesotho newspaper. He was found lying with the corpses of two friends. A visit by AI late that year revealed that other citizens had been killed.[13] 1982 saw reports of torture against political detainees and the emergence of a new political death squad, known as theKoeeoko.[14] In December theSouth African Defence Force enteredMaseru at night and killed many officials of theAfrican National Congress, as well as twelve citizens of Lesotho. At least forty extrajudicial killings were reported to have been carried out, and most were against unarmed persons.[14] The government, concerned of potential further attacks by the South Africans, began air lifting refugees toMozambique.[15] Reports of torture and arbitrary arrest continued to leak to the outside world through the next two years.[16]
Of theNational Assembly's 120 seats, 29 are occupied by women, including that of the Speaker and seven of the 19 Ministers. They also constitute seven of the 33 seats in theSenate. Half of the tenHigh Court judges are female.[3]
Asodomy law exists but is reportedly not enforced. Homosexuality is considered taboo, but an LGBT support group, "Matrix", reportedly freely operates throughout the country.[3]
Independent newspapers and radio stations can freely criticize the government without repercussions.[2] The government controls its largest radio station and only television station.[2] The State shut down the transmissions of four private radio stations reporting on mass protests in August 2011; this was later blamed on a technical error.[3]
While theconstitution prohibits the use of torture, reports of its use continue to surface.[3] At least three prisoners died in police custody in 2011. On 3 March 2011 the wife of Tseliso Thatjane ofLithoteng, who allegedly stole a television and DVD player, was arrested and told she would only be released upon his surrender. After giving himself up, he was reportedly beaten with a club and suffocated with a plastic bag. A bribe of 500maloti was paid for his release.[3]
Maseru Central Prison has been reported to have food shortages.Prison rape by gangs is supposedly rife, and due to the highHIV/AIDS rate in the country, considered especially dangerous. According to the Lesotho Correctional Service, 60% of female prisoners are HIV positive.[3]
1.^ Note that the "Year" signifies the "Year covered". Therefore the information for the year marked 2008 is from the report published in 2009, and so on.
3.^ The 1982 report covers 1981 and the first half of 1982, and the following 1984 report covers the second half of 1982 and the whole of 1983. In the interest of simplicity, these two aberrant "year and a half" reports have been split into three year-long reports through interpolation.
