The African Commission for Human and Peoples' Rights adopted a Resolution on Freedom of Expression in Swaziland at its 16th Extraordinary Session held from 20 to 29 July 2014, in Kigali, Republic of Rwanda.
In this resolution, the Commission:
- Calls on the Government of the Kingdom of Swaziland to respect, protect and fulfill the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association, and freedom of assembly as provided for in the African Charter, the UDHR, the ICCPR and other international and regional human rights instruments;
- Calls on the Government of the Kingdom of Swaziland to take the necessary measures to stop all acts of harassment and intimidation carried out against human rights defenders and media practitioners working in the Kingdom of Swaziland and to respect and guarantee their right to freedom of opinion and expression.
In this resolution, the ACHPR recalls the Letter of Appeal of 24 March 2014 by the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa regarding the alleged arrest of Mr. Thulani Rudolf Maseko and Mr. Bheki Makhubu. The ACHPR also expresses deep concern 'about continuous allegations of the violation of the right to freedom of expression in general and in particular the conviction and sentencing of Mr. Thulani Rudolf Maseko, a prominent human rights lawyer, and Mr. Bheki Makhubu, a journalist in the Kingdom of Swaziland, in relation to articles published in The Nation Magazine in February and March 2014'.
