…and end corporal punishment
Moroke Sekoboto
THE United Nations Human Rights Committee has called on Lesotho to urgently pass laws that criminalize torture in line with international standards and repeal all legal provisions that permit corporal punishment.
These recommendations are part of the latest report compiled by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for Lesotho’s fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR), which began on 28 April 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Minister of Law and Justice, Richard Ramoeletsi, attended the seminar at which the country UPR reports, including Lesotho’s, were unveiled.
The UPR is a peer-review mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council that assesses the human rights records of all UN member states every four and a half years.
Lesotho is among 14 countries reviewed in the current session. Although the session runs until 9 May 2025, Lesotho’s review report was released on 30 April.
This marks Lesotho’s fourth UPR since the process began, following previous reviews in 2010, 2015, and 2020.
In its findings, the UN Human Rights Committee raised alarm over reports of excessive force by security forces, particularly during peaceful protests. It urged the government to ensure full investigations, accountability for those responsible, and compensation for victims.
“The Committee recommended that Lesotho take urgent measures to investigate promptly and thoroughly any reported case of extrajudicial killing and enforced disappearance, ensure that perpetrators were prosecuted and punished with sanctions commensurate with the gravity of the crime and ensure that victims received full reparations, including adequate compensation,” the report stated.
The Committee also encouraged Lesotho to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
“The Committee expressed concern about reports indicating serious and escalating incidents of allegations of torture, ill-treatment and police brutality in recent years, without accountability.”
Almost every week, the police and the army are sued for damages by civilians claiming they would have been tortured by the armed forces. The High Court and Court of Appeal have, on numerous occasions, passed strong criticisms of police brutality but that has not stopped the torture of suspects.
The report also addressed the use of live ammunition during public protests, referencing past deadly incidents.
“Recalling the killing of a student by police at the National University of Lesotho during a student demonstration in June 2022 and the shooting of a factory worker during strike protests in 2021, the Human Rights Committee expressed concern about the use of live ammunition and excessive force by law enforcement officers in dispersing demonstrations. It also expressed concern about the lack of effective investigations and prosecutions into those cases.”
The issue of corporal punishment was another major point of concern. The Committee highlighted that corporal punishment was still allowed in both the penal system for adults and in homes for children. It urged Lesotho to eliminate such practices entirely.
It expressed specific concern about section 16(2) of the Children’s Protection and Welfare Act (2011) and section 32 of the Penal Code Act (2010), which currently permit corporal punishment.
“The Committee recommended that Lesotho repeal legislation allowing for corporal punishment and enact legislation that explicitly and clearly prohibited all forms of corporal punishment of children and adults in all settings, and conduct awareness-raising campaigns about the harmful effects of corporal punishment.”
The report also touched on the state of Lesotho’s prisons and the performance of the judicial system. Despite the establishment of the Police Complaints Authority, the UN noted that reports of torture and inhumane treatment persist, along with “harsh and life-threatening conditions in prisons”.
It called on Lesotho to improve conditions in detention centres and to increase financial support to the judiciary.
The Committee noted that Lesotho currently lacks a formal judicial training institute and that “judicial training sessions were rare”, resulting in ongoing challenges within the justice system. The report recommended that Lesotho “considers prioritizing an increase in the national budget dedicated to the administration of justice, in order to provide it with adequate human and financial resources and support its effective and timely functioning”.
This included improving access to justice, expanding legal aid, and reducing delays in legal proceedings and judgments.
Despite these concerns, the UN acknowledged progress made by Lesotho in other areas. The country was commended for working towards the ratification of all nine core international human rights treaties and for passing laws that promote equality.
“Lesotho had enacted the Persons with Disability Equity Act (2021), which provided a legal framework to advance the rights of persons with disabilities. Through the Act, the Persons with Disability Advisory Council had been established to provide for equal opportunities and recognition of the rights of persons with disabilities,” the report said.
The UN country team also praised the recent passing of new human rights legislations.
“That progress was reflected in the various pieces of legislation that had been promulgated in recent years, including the Harmonization of the Rights of Customary Widows with the Legal Capacity of Married Persons Act (2022), the Labour Act (2024) and the Administration of Estates and Inheritance Act (2024).”
However, the report stated that challenges still persisted, particularly for marginalized groups such as persons with albinism.
“The Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism stated that persons with albinism experienced serious barriers – including stigmatization and discrimination due to colour and visual impairment, lack of access to healthcare, including sunscreen and visual aids, and lack of access to education and employment – which had, in turn, led to poverty,” the report said.