Eswatini

Latest Report

Detains migrants or asylum seekers?

Yes

Has laws regulating migration-related detention?

Yes

Refugees

1,173

2022

Asylum Applications

976

2022

International Migrants

32,858

2020

Population

1,200,000

2023

Latest Report

Overview

Types of facilities used for migration-related detention
Administrative Ad Hoc Criminal Unknown

Related Reading

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Eswatini

24 February 2021 – Eswatini

24 February 2021

The Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland), one of the smallest countries in Africa, is a landlocked country in southern Africa with a population of 1.1 million people. Similar to other countries, Eswatini restricted the movement of refugees after the onset of the pandemic as a purported measure to stop the spread of COVID-19. […]

Read More…

IOL News, “Eswatini Suspends Prison Visits, Restricts Hospital Visits as Covid-19 Fears Mount,” 18 March 2020, https://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/eswatini-suspends-prison-visits-restricts-hospital-visits-as-covid-19-fears-mount-45117235
Last updated:

DETENTION STATISTICS

Total Migration Detainees: Flow + Stock (year)
Not Available
2019

DETAINEE DATA

Total Number of Children Placed in Immigration Detention (Year)
0
2017

DETENTION CAPACITY

ALTERNATIVES TO DETENTION

ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT DATA

PRISON DATA

Criminal Prison Population (Year)
3,610
2015
3,411
2012
3,764
2011
2,713
2009
2,648
2006
3,169
2003
2,745
2000
2,213
1997
Percentage of Foreign Prisoners (Year)
6
2008
Prison Population Rate (per 100,000 of National Population)
282
2015
284
2012
313
2011
232
2009
237
2006
290
2003
256
2000
217
1997

POPULATION DATA

Population (Year)
1,200,000
2023
1,200,000
2020
1,287,000
2015
International Migrants (Year)
32,858
2020
32,300
2019
31,600
2015
International Migrants as Percentage of Population (Year)
2.83
2020
2.5
2015
Refugees (Year)
1,173
2022
895
2021
945
2020
1,300
2019
879
2018
792
2017
705
2016
696
2015
539
2015
515
2014
Ratio of Refugees Per 1000 Inhabitants (Year)
0.56
2016
0.41
2014
Asylum Applications (Year)
976
2022
145
2016
518
2014
Refugee Recognition Rate (Year)
100
2014
Stateless Persons (Year)
0
2022
0
2016
0
2015

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DATA & POLLS

Gross Domestic Product per Capita (in USD)
3,477
2014
Remittances to the Country
30
2014
Unemployment Rate
2014
Net Official Development Assistance (ODA) (in Millions USD)
85.9
2014
Human Development Index Ranking (UNDP)
150 (Low)
2015

MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION

Does the Country Detain People for Migration, Asylum, or Citizenship Reasons?
Yes
2022
Does the Country Have Specific Laws that Provide for Migration-Related Detention?
Yes
2023

GOVERNANCE SYSTEM

Legal Tradition(s)
Civil law
2017
Customary law
2017

LEGAL & REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Detention-Related Legislation
The Refugees Act, 2017 (2017)
2017
The Immigration Act, 1982 (1987)
1987

GROUNDS FOR MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION

Criminal Penalties for Immigration-Related Violations
Yes (Yes)
1987
Grounds for Criminal Immigration-Related Incarceration / Maximum Length of Incarceration
Unauthorised stay (183)
1987
Unauthorized entry (183)
1987
Has the Country Decriminalised Immigration-Related Violations?
No
1987
Children & Other Vulnerable Groups
Refugees (Prohibited)
2017
Asylum seekers (Prohibited)
2017

LENGTH OF MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION

MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION INSTITUTIONS

PROCEDURAL STANDARDS & SAFEGUARDS

DETENTION MONITORS

> National human rights monitoring bodies

> National Preventive Mechanisms (Optional Protocol to UN Convetion against Torture)

> Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

> Governmental monitoring bodies

> International detention monitoring

TRANSPARENCY

READMISSION/RETURN/EXTRADITION AGREEMENTS

COVID-19

HEALTH CARE

COVID-19 DATA

INTERNATIONAL TREATIES

International Treaties Ratified
Ratification Year
Observation Date
ICERD, International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
1969
2017
ICESCR, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
2004
2017
ICCPR, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
2004
2017
CEDAW, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
2004
2017
CAT, Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
2004
2017
CRPD, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
2012
2017
CTOCSP, Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
2012
2017
CRC, Convention on the Rights of the Child
1995
2017
CRSR, Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees
2000
2017
CRSSP, Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons
1999
2017
CTOCTP, Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children
2012
2017
Ratio of relevant international treaties ratified
Ratio: 11/19
Individual Complaints Procedures
Acceptance Year
CRPD, Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2012
2012
Ratio of Complaints Procedures Accepted
Observation Date
1/7
2017

NON-TREATY-BASED INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS

Relevant Recommendations from the UN Universal Periodic Review
Observation Date
No 2016
2017
No 2011
2017

REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS

Regional Legal Instruments
Year of Ratification (Treaty) / Transposed (Directive) / Adoption (Regulation)
Observation Date
APRW, Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) 2012
2012
2017
ACHPR, African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights 1995
1995
2017

DETENTION COSTS

OUTSOURCING

FOREIGN SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR DETENTION OPERATIONS