Swaziland king issues 'draconian decree' to ban opposition press

By freedomforum.org staff

06.27.01

Printer-friendly page

The king of Swaziland has declared a state of emergency that gives him the power to ban any newspaper, magazine or book, eliminates bail for many crimes, and allows him to jail people who make fun of him.

The government of King Mswati III issued the decree June 23 without giving an explanation. Mswati has come under increasing criticism for his authoritarian rule and muzzling of the press.

The action was described today by the London Daily Telegraph as "a draconian decree designed to muzzle critics" of the king.

Less than a year ago, four major journalism watchdog organizations jointly said they were "deeply concerned about the state of freedom of the press in the Kingdom of Swaziland."

Opposition groups in the country have condemned the decree, the BBC reported. The Associated Press quoted Nomthetho Simelane, a lecturer in the department of political science at the University of Swaziland, as saying the decree could devastate political discourse and that "people have been literally gagged from saying anything.''

The Swazi king has ruled as an absolute monarch ever since his father, King Sobhuza II, banned political parties and scrapped the constitution in 1973.

Political parties are banned in Swaziland, a tiny kingdom bordered by South Africa and Mozambique, where the king appoints all candidates for Parliament.

News reports noted that the decree eliminates bail for a range of crimes, including robbery, rape and holding illegal public demonstrations, and that accused persons in Swaziland can wait as long as three years to be put on trial.

Newspapers are also prevented from challenging publishing bans.

The Guardian, a daily newspaper, and The Nation, a monthly magazine, were banned May 4 after the government claimed they were not properly registered. Both publications denied the charges and a court quickly overturned the bans. The government banned them again.

Swaziland's small but vocal independent media has long had an adversarial relationship with the government of this kingdom of 1 million people, the AP reported.

The Swaziland Solidarity Network, an umbrella group of activists opposed to the king's rule, attacked the decree as an insult to everyone who supports peace, democracy and freedom.

"This barbaric decree ... has served to reinforce the legalized and institutionalized rein of political terror in the kingdom under the tyrant rule of the king,'' the group said in a statement. "We view such an act by the king and his government as a direct declaration of war against media, the judiciary and the country's citizens,'' the group stated.

Mario Masuku, president of Swaziland's People's United Democratic Movement, told the BBC that "repressive regimes have reacted in this fashion before," and said that his movement would not cowed by the decree.

Swaziland's Attorney General Phesheya Dlamini has defended the decree and dismissed claims that it amounts to the creation of a state of emergency as "unmitigated nonsense," claiming that the "legislation seeks to clarify certain issues that have been of concern as to what's the exact position of the law."

Philemon Lukhele of the Swaziland Solidarity Network told Reuters that the decree was "part of a continuous assault on any dissenting voice in the kingdom."

Update

Swaziland king repeals 'draconian decree' affecting news media
But full extent of action remains unclear; reports cite exemptions; U.S. threat appears the reason.  07.26.01