Seven members of
Swaziland’s best known pro-democracy party the People’s United Democratic
Movement (PUDEMO) have been arrested and charged under a terrorism act for wearing
t-shirts and berets with the group’s name on them.
They were arrested
outside the Swazi High Court where they were with other members of the public
who gathered to show support for Bheki Makhubu and Thulani Maseko, who are in court on contempt charges
following the publication of magazine articles that were critical of the
kingdom’s judiciary.
PUDEMO is banned
under Swaziland’s controversial Suppression of Terrorism Act (STA) which has
been extensively used against opponents of King Mswati III, who rules Swaziland
as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.
The Swaziland
Solidarity Network (SSN), another prodemocracy group banned under the STA,
reported that seven PUDEMO members were arrested and charged. It named them as
Bongani Gama; Mlungusi Makhanya
(the group’s Secretary General); Brian Ntshangase (the group’s public relations
officer); Mangaliso Khumalo; Bafana Magongo; Ntobeko Maseko and Size Tsabedze.
The men are
expected to appear in court on Monday 28 April 2014.
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