A political opposition activist in Swaziland / eSwatini
has been charged under terrorism and sedition laws for calling on absolute monarch
King Mswati III to be prosecuted for embezzlement and human rights violations.
Goodwill Sibiya is a senior member of the People’s
United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) and the Communist Party. Both organisations
are banned under the Suppression
of Terrorism Act. He is also a founding member of a little-known group
called the Economic Freedom Guerrillas.
Sibiya made a legal statement calling for the King to
be charged for the ‘embezzlement of states funds’ through his use of money
generated by Tibiyo
Taka Ngwane, a conglomerate of businesses that is controlled by the King on
behalf of the Swazi people; mining royalties and income from MTN the mobile
phone company.
In a list of accusations, Sibiya said the King stripped
the powers of two chiefs to the benefit of his brother Prince Maguga. The King forcefully
grabbed young girls to be his wives and the King appointed Barnabas Dlamini as
Prime Minister in contravention of the constitution,
‘so that he can meet his own greedy interest’.
The statement made at the Nhlangano police station was
dated 21 January 2019. According
to the Times of Swaziland (27 May
2019) Sibiya attempted to file the document at the High Court on 21 May 2019, but was
stopped by staff members who then informed the police.
The Times reported police raided Sibiya’s home with a warrant
searching for documents that brought ‘hatred to and incited dissatisfaction against
the King’. In its report the Times
did not detail Sibiya’s accusations, ‘because of their sensitive nature
which borders on treason’.
Sibiya was arrested and appeared at the High Court on
Sunday. He was remanded in custody until 1 June 2019.
In Swaziland, King Mswati rules as an absolute monarch,
political parties are banned from taking part in elections and he chooses the prime
minister and government members. He is immune from any prosecution under s11 of
the Swaziland
Constitution.
Opposition to the King is crushed by use of the
Suppression of Terrorism Act and the Sedition and
Subversive Activities Act. Both Acts have been used to stop
advocates for democratic reform.
In 2015 Amnesty International renewed its criticism of Swaziland for the ‘continued persecution of peaceful political opponents and critics’ by the King and his authorities.
In 2015 Amnesty International renewed its criticism of Swaziland for the ‘continued persecution of peaceful political opponents and critics’ by the King and his authorities.
The human rights organisation called for the two Acts to be scrapped or
drastically rewritten.
It said the Swazi authorities were using the Acts, ‘to intimidate
activists, further entrench political exclusion and to restrict the exercise of
the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly’.
Amnesty said the Sedition and Subversive Activities Act also violated
Swaziland’s human rights obligations.
In September 2016, the Swaziland High Court ruled parts
of the two Acts were unconstitutional. The Government appealed the case to the
Supreme Court and
it has yet to be heard.
See also
Swazi law used against human rights
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