Eswatini is to face its fourth Universal Periodic Review before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva today. The country is one of the 14 states scheduled to be under review at the UN in the two weeks. The Kingdom is expected to defend its record by highlighting legislative compliance, but the civil society groups in the country paint a different picture of life under Africa's last absolute monarchy. Human Rights groups have documented a widening crackdown on civic space, alleging that authorities routinely weaponise anti-terrorism laws to silence journalist, block pro-democracy assemblies, and evade accountability for the atrocities.

We spoke to Kaajal Ramjathan-Keogh, Africa Director at the International Commission of Jurists