Lesotho: Journalist abducted and tortured in apparent attempt to silence him

On 5 September, Kananelo Boloetse, the editor of the Newsday publication and a human rights activist, was abducted from his home in Katlehong in the capital, Maseru, by three unidentified armed men. They took him to an unknown location where he was severely tortured and threatened. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns this inhumane act of brutality and calls for an independent and impartial investigation into this heinous crime in order to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

According to local media reports, Boloetse’s armed attackers “restrained and handcuffed him, and sealed his mouth with duct tape. He was assaulted inside a vehicle while being driven away from his home.” He was severely injured in the process and later abandoned in Thaba Bosiu, approximately 25 kilometres away. The editor was admitted to hospital for treatment and later discharged after which he filed a case at the Maseru Central Charge Office. His abductors also threatened to return and kill him, if news ofthe abduction became public.

Lerato Peggy Matheka, the managing director and editor of the Newsday Publications, said that the attack on editor Boloetse was intended not only to harm him, but also to spread fear across the wider newsroom in order to silence the journalists. Matheka said: “This was not a robbery. His phones and other valuable devices were left intact, and the questions and threats he received were related to his work as a journalist and human rights defender. The message was clear: he was being punished for his work and he was warned that reporting the attack could cost him his life.”

The abduction came shortly after the Newsday Publications had suffered a serious cyber-attack that disrupted their website and email services, following their investigative work on education financing in Lesotho.

The Media Women Association in Lesotho (MWALes) reported that abductions and intimidation are not a new thing in Lesotho, as they are part of a strategy normally used to silence individuals who denounce corruption or other forms of abuses. 

IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said that attacks on journalists must be investigated, and the perpetrators and masterminds must be brought to justice.“In every democratic society, journalists must be allowed to do their work without fear or intimidation of any kind. Governments have a responsibility not only to create a conducive environment for the media to flourish, but also to guarantee responsibility for the safety and security of journalists. Anything less than this is unacceptable.”

The IFJ calls on the Lesotho government to swiftly conduct an independent and impartial investigation into the abduction, torture and death threats issued against journalist Boloetse, and to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.