Magazine
editor Bheki Makhubu and Human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko were sentenced to
two years in jail on Friday (25 January 2014) after they wrote
articles for the Nation magazine
critical of the Swazi judiciary.
They were
not given an option of a fine.
The sentence
was immediately condemned by Freedom House, the global human rights
organisation as ‘shameful’ and a ‘brazen contempt for the free press’.
There had
been protests
across the world after the pair were convicted by the Swazi High Court of contempt of
court a week earlier.
When they
appeared for sentencing High Court Judge Mpendulo Simelenae said the sentence
should serve as a deterrent for others.
Judge Simelane
singled out Maseko because during the trial he had read out a
statement in his defence that criticised the lack of democracy in Swaziland.
Judge
Simelane said this amounted to a call for regime change in Swaziland. Swaziland
is ruled by King Mswati III, who is sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.
See also
US BACKS
CONVICTED SWAZI JOURNALISTS
JUDGE RESTRICTS
PRESS FREEDOM
SUPPORT FOR
CONVICTED JOURNALISTS
WHAT CONVICTED
JOURNALISTS WROTE
COURT CONVICTS EDITOR AND WRITER
EDITOR AND LAWYER ‘FACE 10 YEARS JAIL’
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