Lesotho: Authorities Must Investigate Reported Abduction and Assault of Journalist Kananelo Boloetse

What the report says

Amnesty International says Lesotho authorities should urgently investigate reports that journalist and human rights defender Kananelo Boloetse was abducted, assaulted and threatened with death after being taken from his home in Maseru on 5 September. The statement, published by AllAfrica from Amnesty International’s London office on 8 September 2026, frames the case as a serious press-freedom and human-rights concern.

According to the report, Boloetse was reportedly seized by three unidentified men from his home in Katlehong, Maseru. He was allegedly questioned about his journalism and human rights work, beaten, and later left in Thaba-Bosiu, an area roughly east of the capital. AllAfrica attributed those background details to Newsday Media.

Amnesty’s deputy regional director for East and Southern Africa, Vongai Chikwanda, called on the government to protect Boloetse from further harm and ensure that any threats or reprisals are stopped. The organization also urged a prompt, independent and impartial investigation, with any suspect prosecuted in fair proceedings. More broadly, the statement says the case underscores the risks faced by journalists and defenders who are targeted for their work. In general, such incidents can have a chilling effect on free expression and civic space, though the article itself focuses on the alleged attack and the call for action.