In a submission to the United Nations they also call for restrictions on freedom of assembly to be lifted.
The calls come jointly from CIVICUS, a global
network of civil society organisations and activists dedicated to strengthening
citizen action and civil society around the world, and Lawyers for Human Rights
(Swaziland) (LHRS), a non-partisan group of lawyers that advocates for the
respect of human rights and promotes good governance, the rule of law and
democracy.
The
report is to the United Nation’s Human Rights Council’s Working Group on
the Universal Periodic Review of Swaziland that is to investigate Swaziland’s
record on human rights next April and May 2016.
The report listed a number of violations in
Swaziland over recent years. The report said it was ‘a matter of deep concern
that human rights activists have been arrested and persecuted for the work and
others have been threatened by senior government officials including the Prime
Minister.’
In a detailed account, the report said, ‘On 26
August 2014, Vincent Ncongwane, Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress
of Swaziland (TUCOSWA), was apprehended shortly before he was due to address
a prayer meeting on the effects of the withdrawal of financial assistance through
the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) from Swaziland by the United
States Government.
‘He had also planned to discuss the position of
civil society regarding the withdrawal. The Matsapha area has many textile
factories that will be affected by the cancellation of assistance through AGOA.
Following his apprehension by the police, Vincent was forced to leave the venue
of the meeting before delivering his address.
‘On 5 September 2013, Vincent
was followed by police officers in civilian clothing and arrested while
attempting to enter his office. He was whisked to the police station without
any explanation or warrant and detained for several hours. He was later placed
under house arrest and the authorities argued he had attempted to instigate an
unlawful protest.
‘On 6 August 2014, Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas
Dlamini threatened human rights defenders Sipho Gumedze and Vincent
Ncongwane while they participated in the civil society meeting on the promotion
of democracy in Africa on the sidelines of the African leader’s summit hosted
by US President Barack Obama in August 2014.
‘The activists had also participated in peaceful
demonstrations aimed at highlighting threats to freedom of expression in
Swaziland. While addressing the Parliament in Swaziland, the Prime Minister
called for both activists to be interrogated and “strangled” when they return
to Swaziland.
‘Sipho is a member of Lawyers for Human Rights
(Swaziland) and Vincent is the Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress of
Swaziland (TUCOSWA).
‘On 1 May 2014, Mario Masuku, President of the
pro-democracy People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) and Maxwell Dlamini
of the Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO), were
arrested after addressing a crowd of about 7,000 people during a Labour Day
event in the capital, Manzini.
‘They were charged with singing a seditious song and
uttering seditious statements under the Suppression of Terrorism Act. The state
argued in court that their utterances were serious and threatened the
leadership of Swaziland. They were denied bail on two occasions before they were
released on bail on 14 July 2015 by the Supreme Court.’
The report said that the Swazi Constitution
guaranteed ‘the rights of citizens to assemble freely,’ but these rights were
being ignored.
The report said, ‘However we remain concerned that
the authorities regularly suppress peaceful demonstrations, Persons considered
leaders of such protests have been arrested and subjected to judicial
persecution and some have been charged under the Suppression of Terrorism Act.
‘In March 2015, security forces prevented members of
the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) from holding their national
executive committee meeting at the premises of the Swaziland National
Association of Teachers (SNAT). In dispersing the participants, security forces
harassed the Secretary of SNAT, Muzi Mhlanga after he took pictures of the
police actions against protesters.
‘Again on 28 February 2015 security
forces forcefully dispersed a meeting of TUCOSWA because the participants
discussed multi-party democracy.
‘On 24 April 2014, Mlungisi Makhanya, Secretary
General of PUDEMO and six others were arrested
at the High Court in Mbabane as they demonstrated against the manner in
which the trial of Thulani Maseko and Bheki Makhubu was conducted.
‘They were charged for contravening the Suppression
of Terrorism Act for wearing and being in possession of tee-shirts on which the
word PUDEMO was inscribed.
‘The authorities noted that the tee-shirts reflected
terrorist demands. They were also charged with chanting ‘terrorist slogans’ and
for conspiring with others to commit seditious acts. In May 2014 they were all
released on bail of E15,000 (approximatelyUS$1,106) and asked to pay E5,000 (approximately
US$368) upfront and provide surety of E10,000 (approximately US$737).
‘On 5 September 2013, security forces in Swaziland arrested
and detained Jay Naidoo, a South African trade union activist, Bishop Paul
Verryn from the Methodist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa and Zimbabwean human
rights lawyer and activist Alec Muchadehama ahead of a planned global inquiry
scheduled for 6 September 2013.
‘Those arrested were part of an international panel
of experts who had been requested by TUCOSWA and the International Trade Union
Confederation (ITUC) to engage in a dialogue with workers about the effect of
violations on labour rights on all Swazis. The panellists were followed from
the airport and arrested at a roadblock on their way to Manzini. They were then
transported to a police station where they were interrogated about the
rationale for the planned meeting. They were later released after questioning
and had to return to Johannesburg as the authorities closed the George Hotel in
Manzini where the inquiry was scheduled to take place.’
‘On 12 April 2012, the police intercepted
pro-democracy protests planned to be held at Coronation Park in Mbabane and
arrested 15 organisers. The protests had been planned to coincide with King
Sobhuza II’s 1973 Proclamation which outlawed political parties. The venue was
filled with police and security offices who prevented protesters from entering.
Protesters who were driving from other parts of the country were stopped at
road blocks, prevented from entering Mbabane and sent back to their home towns.
‘The organisers of the protests had planned to use
the day to call for democratic reforms, the organisation of multiparty
election, for freedom of association to be respected and express concerns over
the imposition of tax on basic goods.’
See also
‘KING
BLOCKS JUDGES’ INDEPENDENCE’
CALL
TO END SWAZI MEDIA CENSORSHIP
No comments:
Post a Comment