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Wednesday 22 July 2015

BOTSWANA SUPPORT FOR SWAZI FREEDOM

Botswana’s National Front has called for political parties in Swaziland to be unbanned.

Swaziland is the only country in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) where political parties are banned.

In Swaziland, where King Mswati III rules as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, political parties are banned by the kingdom’s constituion from taking part in elections. The King chooses the government and top judges.

Parties and other oganisations that advocate for democracy are banned in the kingdom under the Suppression of  Terrorism Act.

The Botswana National Front (BNF) has pledged solidarity with banned political organisations in Swaziland. It said the banning of political was the same as total suppression of freedom of association.

Swaziland also has a number of people in jail for peacefully opposing the present undemocratic system.

In May 2015, the European Parliament called for all political prisoners in Swaziland to be freed. The Swazi Government denies there are any political prisoners in the kingdom, saying that the only people in jail are those who have broken the kingdom’s laws.

Duma Boko, BNF president, who is also the leader of coalition of opposition parties in Botswana, said, ‘We stand with the people of Swaziland in their quest for democracy, in their quest for justice and human rights.

‘We stand with them solidly and we pledge our support to them. We call on the Swazi government to open the democratic space and enable political parties to contend in different view-points, to participate in the political market space of ideas.’
 
See also


FREE POLITICAL PRISONERS: EURO MPS
http://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/free-political-prisoners-euro-mps.html

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