The South African government received heavy criticism from the NGO Amnesty International (AI) for violating the rights of its citizens during the lockdown put in place to deal with the pandemic of Covid-19.
In its latest annual report on the state of human rights in the country, AI criticized the South African authorities for “excessive use of force by the police and the military, the exclusion of refugees and Asylum seekers from Covid-19 relief programs and inadequate assistance to victims of violence against women and children”.
The NGO also reported a lack of protection for health workers due to insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE), the embezzlement of Covid-19 relief funds and the cancellation of the school feeding program in the country which benefited nine million children.
“The use of Covid-19 as an excuse to suppress human rights is shown in police brutality and loss of livelihood and other human rights violations,” said director of AI in South Africa, Shenilla Mohamed.
She added that “we need, now more than ever, the government to put citizens first and ensure that everyone enjoys their basic human rights.”
One of the major problems facing the country as well is the persistence of inequalities, said Mohamed, noting that “people will never experience true freedom until they are able to lead a dignified and secure life in which their human rights will be respected, protected and promoted.”
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