Monday, April 07, 2014

Swaziland - Detained journalist appears in court in leg irons...

Reporters Without Borders is appalled by the inhuman and degrading treatment of Bheki Makhubu, the editor of The Nation, an independent news monthly, who has been held for the past two weeks on a contempt of court charge for criticizing Chief Justice Michael Ramodibedi.

Makhubu was brought into court in leg irons on 1 April on the grounds that he represented a "security risk."

When relatives said they did not understand why he was seen as a security risk, government spokesperson Sanele Mngotmetulu Nxumalo replied mysteriously: "It is one of the things that remain a secret. Security is very secretive. Therefore, if I can disclose to you when, how, why and to who we use leg irons, that could compromise our security. Security is very important to us."

Makhubu and Thulani Maseko, a human rights lawyer who writes opinion pieces for the magazine, have been detained since 18 March without being given a date for their trial.

"This humiliation compounds the iniquitous treatment that this journalist has received since his arrest," said Cléa Kahn-Sriber, the head of the Reporters Without Borders Africa desk. Full story...

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