The
wife of Zweli Martin Dlamini, the Swaziland (eSwatini)
editor and journalist being hunted by police for writing and publishing
articles critical of absolute monarch King Mswati III, has asked
magistrates to issue a restraining order
to stop police harassing and beating her.
Nompendulo Nokuthula
Mkhonta filed an urgent application at the Mbabane Magistrates Court on Monday
(27 April 2020).
In her application she said
a group of eight police officers entered her home on 10 April seeking her
husband. They were ‘armed to the teeth’ and did not have a warrant.
They
took her to the national police headquarters where she was handcuffed and
suffocated with a plastic bag over her head. They wanted to know the whereabouts
of her husband who is in hiding.
She
said police threatened to return to her home at a later date.
Earlier
this month in an annual report the group Reporters Without Borders concluded there was no
media freedom in Swaziland.
Political
parties are banned from taking part in elections and King Mswati chooses the
prime minister and cabinet ministers. He also appoints top judges and civil
servants. Groups advocating for democracy are banned under the Suppression of
Terrorism Act.
Police
have stepped up their campaign against online newspapers and social media that
are calling for reforms. Zweli Martin
Dlamini, the editor of the Swaziland News, an online newspaper, told the
Voice of America radio on Monday that he was in hiding and feared arrest.
He reportedly fled
to neighbouring South Africa in March 2020 for the
second time. He said he had been arrested and tortured by Swazi police who
accused him of sedition.
Also, on
7 February 2020, The Swaziland News reported
Dlamini was being harassed and receiving death threats from King Mswati’s first
born daughter Princess Sikhanyiso, who is the Minister of Information
Communication and Technology.
Dlamini
had previously fled to South Africa in fear of his life in
2018. He had received death threats from a local businessman and his newspaper Swaziland
Shopping was shut down by the Swazi government.
Separately,
on 23 April 2020 Eugene Dube, the editor of another online publication, Swati Newsweek, was arrested and beaten by police. Police accused him of writing and publishing
critical articles about King Mswati. He could face a charge of treason.
At a press briefing last week the Swazi National
Commissioner of Police William Dlamini said
police were investigating people who had critical websites
online. He wanted to find out who hosted them.
See also
‘No
media freedom’ in Swaziland, Reporters Without Borders annual report states
Swaziland
journalist critical of absolute monarch, beaten, arrested, faces treason charge
Swaziland
journalist ‘tortured by police after criticising absolute monarch in newspaper
articles’
https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/03/swaziland-journalist-tortured-by-police.html
Newspaper editor flees Swaziland for second time after arrest and police torture
Newspaper editor flees Swaziland for second time after arrest and police torture
‘Attempt
made to poison journalist critic of Swaziland’s absolute monarch,’ editor says
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