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Eswatini high court dismisses case challenging deal on U.S. deportees

By Thomson Reuters Feb 4, 2026 | 3:24 AM

MBABANE, Feb 4 (Reuters) – Eswatini’s high court has dismissed a case ‍filed by human rights lawyers who argued that the government’s deal with the United States to ‌accept third-country deportees ‌was unconstitutional, a copy of the judgment seen by Reuters on Wednesday showed.

U.S. President Donald ​Trump’s administration has so far sent ‍at least ​15 third-country deportees to ​Eswatini since last July. ‍The small southern African country received $5.1 million as part of the deal.

The applicants in the ‍case, led by the Eswatini Litigation Centre, had claimed that ‍the ‍agreement was illegal ​because it was ​not ⁠submitted to parliament ‌for approval and the terms were not disclosed.

(Reporting by Lunga Masuku; Writing by Nellie Peyton; Editing by Alexander ⁠Winning)