Lesotho Journalist Kananelo Boloetse Abducted and Assaulted; Amnesty Calls for Investigation

On September 5, 2026, a chilling raid on a Maseru home turned into a brutal assault on one of Lesotho’s most outspoken journalists. Three unidentified men stormed the house of Kananelo Boloetse, a veteran reporter for Newsday Media, and hauled him out to an isolated spot. They interrogated him about his latest investigations before beating and torturing him, leaving him with severe injuries in the remote Thaba‑Bosiu region. A passing driver later found him unconscious, pulled him onto a nearby road, and hauled him back to Maseru.

Neighbors had spotted a suspicious vehicle parked outside Boloetse’s house in the hours before the abduction, but authorities have yet to name the suspects. The attack came just days after a cyber‑onslaught knocked Newsday’s website and email services offline, adding pressure on the newsroom and tightening the net around its reporters.

Lerato Peggy Matheka, Newsday’s editor‑in‑chief, said the assault was aimed not only at Boloetse but also at sending a warning to anyone who dared to question the state. Boloetse has long been a human‑rights defender, probing state institutions, demanding transparency over education financing, and championing free education, economic restructuring and broader human‑rights protections.

Amnesty International’s deputy regional director for East and Southern Africa, Vongai Chikwanda, called on Lesotho’s authorities to launch a thorough investigation. In a statement, Chikwanda warned that “journalists and human‑rights defenders must be able to carry out their work freely and safely…violence, threats or intimidation against those exercising their right to freedom of expression should never be tolerated and must not go unpunished.”

The incident is part of a disturbing pattern of attacks on journalists in Lesotho. In 2016, Lloyd Mutungamiri, an editor for the Lesotho Times, was ambushed by military personnel after exposing excessive power by the Defence Force and survived a gun‑shot assault. In 2020, two Newsday reporters were assaulted by armed officers of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service while covering the Bacha Shutdown movement, a youth‑led campaign against gender‑based violence and unemployment.

Press freedom in Lesotho has slipped in recent years. The 2026 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index placed Lesotho at 54.37 points, down from 52.07 in 2025, and now falls into the “difficult” category, one of the lowest rankings worldwide. Governments in the region increasingly employ strategic lawsuits, arbitrary detention and restrictive legislation to silence reporting.

Boloetse’s abduction underscores the peril journalists face when probing government activities and raises concerns about the safety of media workers following the cyber‑attack that crippled Newsday’s online services. While the perpetrators remain unidentified, the incident has sparked calls from international human‑rights organisations for a transparent inquiry.

Lesotho authorities have yet to issue a public statement on the case. Amnesty International and other advocacy groups are monitoring the situation closely and have requested that the government provide a clear timeline for the investigation.

The international community, including the United Nations and the African Union, has repeatedly urged the protection of journalists in Lesotho. Although the country’s constitution guarantees freedom of expression, recent events demonstrate that these rights are not fully upheld in practice.

The outcome of the investigation will be watched closely by media organisations across Southern Africa. If the authorities fail to act, it could further erode the already fragile environment for independent journalism in Lesotho.

In the meantime, Boloetse remains in a medical facility in Maseru, recovering from his injuries. Newsday Media has pledged to continue its coverage of governance and public accountability, despite the heightened risks to its staff.