Barnabas Dlamini, the illegally-appointed Prime Minister of Swaziland, has confirmed his government is to create a law to deny suspects bail when they appear in court.
Dlamini, who has an international reputation as an enemy of freedom and human rights, told a meeting of editors in Swaziland there was nothing wrong with the proposed legislation because other countries had been keeping terrorist suspects in jail for close to 10 years without trial.
Dlamini, appointed by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, with a mandate to crush the pro-democracy movement in the kingdom, also sent a warning to supporters of freedom.
He has told his police force to arrest anyone seen supporting banned organisations, such as the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) or its youth wing, SWAYOCO.
He is particularly incensed by people who defy him by wearing T-shirts that support Swazi-based organisations that he has banned.
He said, ‘Let those T-shirts be got rid of because if we find them we will ask where you got them and why you are keeping them.’
In a clear threat to the pro-democracy movement in Swaziland, he said up to now he was lenient in treating people linked with terrorist entities. In some countries, he warned, such individuals were immediately locked up once identified.
‘Once you are linked to terrorism you are locked up, never to see the sun again,’ he said.
Dlamini and his government have been attacked in the international community for using a new Suppression of Terrorism Act to silence dissent in the kingdom.
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