Critics of Swaziland King
Mswati III or his unelected government face jail for two years under a new law.
The offences are classed as
showing ‘contempt against the cultural and traditional heritage of the Swazi
nation’ and are contained in the Public Order Act 2017. Contempt includes
defacing a picture of King Mswati who rules Swaziland as sub-Saharan Africa’s
last absolute monarch.
The Public Order Act allows
for a E10,0000 (US$770) fine, two years imprisonment or both for inciting ‘hatred
or contempt’ against cultural and traditional heritage. In Swaziland seven out
of ten people have incomes less than US$2 a day.
The Act also targets
gatherings of 50 or more people in a public place where policy actions or criticisms
of any government or organisation are made.
The Times of Swaziland, the only independent daily newspaper in the
kingdom where reporting the activities of King Mswati and his family is
severely restricted, reported, ‘These gatherings could be those which are
convened or held to form pressure groups, to hand over petitions to any person
or to mobilise or demonstrate support for or opposition to the views,
principles, policy, actions or omissions of any person, organisation including
any government administration or institution.
‘The Act states that to
avoid any doubt people who also speak ill or incite hatred against the cultural
and traditional heritage of the country could be those who are involved in a
picket or protest action.
‘Other acts that carry a
similar penalty also include a person who trashes, burns or otherwise destroys,
defaces or defiles or damages any national insignia or emblem. The nation
insignia or other emblem has been defined by the Act as any weaving,
embroidery, sewing, drawing, picture, illustration and painting which
represents His Majesty, the Indlovukati [King’s mother], national flag or
Swaziland Coat of Arms.’
Earlier in 2017, Swaziland
came 142nd out of 167 countries in an international survey on
democracy called the Economist
Intelligence Unit (EIU) Democracy Index. It labelled Swaziland
an ‘authoritarian’ country.
It said ‘In these states [authoritarian], state
political pluralism is absent or heavily circumscribed. Many countries in this category are outright
dictatorships. Some formal institutions of democracy may exist, but these have
little substance. Elections, if they do occur, are not free and fair. There is
disregard for abuses and infringements of civil liberties. Media are typically
state-owned or controlled by groups connected to the ruling regime. There is
repression of criticism of the government and pervasive censorship. There is no
independent judiciary.’
In Swaziland, political parties are not allowed to
take part in elections and most of the political groupings in Swaziland that
advocate for democracy have been banned under the Suppression of Terrorism Act
2008.
The Swazi people are only allowed to select 55 of the
65 members of the House of Assembly, the other 10 are appointed by the King.
None of the 30 members of the Swaziland Senate are elected by the people: the
King appoints 20 members and the other 10 are appointed by the House of
Assembly.
One of only two national newspapers in Swaziland is in
effect owned by the King. The state controls one of only two television
stations and all radio, except for a small Christian-orientated channel.
The EIU scored Swaziland 3.3 out of ten on the
Democracy Index, lower than Iraq. Swaziland scored 0.92 on electoral process
and pluralism and 3.53 on civil liberties.
The report followed one published in December 2016 by Afrobarometer.
In that, Swaziland came last out of 36 countries in Africa in a survey on
political freedom.
Also in 2016, an analysis
on the legal system in Swaziland published by the Southern
Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) concluded all opposition to the rule of the
King was treated as ‘terrorism’ and the courts had often been seen to do the King’s
bidding.
See also
OPPOSITION
TO KING IS ‘TERRORISM’
SWAZILAND
LAST ON POLITICAL FREEDOM
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2017/01/swaziland-last-on-political-freedom.html
SWAZILAND FAILS ON FREEDOM PROMISE
SWAZILAND FAILS ON FREEDOM PROMISE
REPORT
TELLS UN OF RIGHTS ABUSES
https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/report-tells-un-of-rights-abuses.html
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