Maseru, Oct. 02 — A commission from the Southern African Development Commission (SADC) has delivered a letter to the High Commission of Lesotho in Pretoria regarding the Basotho Covenant Movement Leader, Dr. Tsepo Lipholo’s arrest.
The commission’s letter reads “This is an urgent appeal on humanitarian and medical grounds for the release of Dr.Tsepo Lipholo who has been held unlawfully in Lesotho.
With utmost urgency and deep concern regarding the continuing detention of Dr. Lipholo who is currently incarcerated under circumstances that raise serious humanitarian, constitutional, and international human rights concerns, we have received credible reports indicating Dr. Lipholo’s health is severely deteriorating without medical care. He is being subjected to inhumane prison conditions.
The alleged threats to his life including pumping toxic gas into his cell, his continuing incarceration lack proper constitutional and legal basis and it is violation of section 6 and 99 of Lesotho’s constitution. In light of the above, we respectfully demand the following with immediate effect.
“Urgent medical attention including possible transfer to a civilian hospital, his release on humanitarian and medical grounds. We demand investigations into threats over his life and prison conditions. We require public assurances from the government of Lesotho on Lipholo’s health and safety, and we emphasise on the Mandela rules, the ICCPR and Lesotho’s own constitution, the state is obligated to ensure the health, safety and legal rights of all the detainees, especially those incarcerated under politically sensitive circumstances. The letter serves as a formal appeal and a public record of our intention to escalate this matter to the international human rights institutions should no action be taken”. . . .
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