A Swaziland (eSwatini) journalist received a death
threat after he wrote an article in support of the political regime headed by
absolute monarch King Mswati III.
Welcome Dlamini of the Times of eSwatini
reported to police that he had received text messages and one threatened him
with death. The text referred to an article he had written for the paper
supporting the local tinkhundla system of government. One text told him to stop
‘lambasting progressive / political parties’.
The tinkhundla system in Swaziland does not allow
political parties to stand in elections. King Mswati appoints the prime
minister and government. He also chooses top judges and civil servants. Groups
advocating multi-party democracy are banned under the Suppression of Terrorism
Act.
The People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) the
best known of the prodemocracy groups and one of those banned
dissociated itself from the death threat.
Police are investigating.
Journalists are often under attack in Swaziland but it
is usually those criticising the regime who suffer. At present Eugene Dube,
editor of the website Swati Newsweek, is
in exile in South Africa after he wrote articles considered
critical of the King.
Ncamiso Ngcamphalala, the
Economic Freedom Fighters of Swaziland President, is on bail awaiting trail
charged with sedition following comments he made in an interview with Swati Newsweek. He told the High court he had been tortured by police.
In March 2020 Swaziland
journalist and former government cabinet minister Mfomfo Nkambule said
he was tortured by police after he wrote articles critical of
King Mswati for the online newspaper Swaziland News.
Also in March 2020 the editor of Swaziland
News
Zweli Martin Dlamini told the South African Broadcasting
Corporation’s Media
Monitor programme that police raided his home after he
published articles in his newspaper. He said police tied him up and suffocated
him with a plastic bag.
He was speaking from South Africa and said he feared returning to Swaziland.
He was speaking from South Africa and said he feared returning to Swaziland.
See also
Swaziland
journalist in exile after criticising king gets global press freedom honour
Swaziland
journalist critical of King flees, hides in forest five days
Swaziland
journalist ‘tortured by police after criticising absolute monarch in newspaper
articles’
Newspaper
editor flees Swaziland for second time after arrest and police torture
https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/03/newspaper-editor-flees-swaziland-for.html
No comments:
Post a Comment