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The Congress of South African Trade Unions is utterly appalled and condemns the guilty verdict and subsequent sentencing of 2 years imposed on human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko and the Nations Magazine Editor Bheki Makhubu, on 25 July 2014.

Their crime was criticising the judiciary system in articles carried by the Nations Magazine earlier.

It was a sad day for justice when the judiciary functions without the scale of justice, objectivity and respect for basic human rights. Clearly the justice system in Swaziland is a tool for oppression and suppression of opinion and freedoms normally enjoyed under a democratic system that the Swazi government claims to operate under.

The unjust convictions and sentencing were an action meant to instil fear to the people of Swaziland to prevent them from airing their views and opinions.

From the beginning when the two were arrested it was clear that this was a superficial case; the sanctions were long decided and the justice system was merely used to represent one side and one side only. That was not the side of justice but that of the will of the greedy and self absorbed individual who knows no justice and respects no opinion but his own.

What does this verdict mean for the future of honest, free and fair journalism in Swaziland? What does it mean for those currently practicing journalism in that country? What does it highlight about the justice system and the system of governance? We have been long highlighting the plight of the peoples of Swaziland be it a simple worker in the factory or a highly educated professional in a senior government post, no one is safe from this blood-sucking system of Tinkhundla regime.

We demand the immediate end to human rights violations as well as repealing of all repressive and unjust laws that serve only the royal family and its elite cronies friends.

COSATU calls for the immediate release and overturn of the conviction for these two advocates and defenders of freedom of speech in Swaziland. We further call on the international trade union movement as well as all advocates for human rights to take this matter up and fight this kind of obnoxious behaviour by Mswati and his cronies. Their behaviour is a mockery of what justice means and stands for, reducing it to political goal scoring by the regime.

While Maseko and Makhubu have been unjustly convicted and sentenced there are many other political prisoners currently detained without bail and awaiting trial, these political prisoners receive atrocious treatment in the hands of the police.

COSATU continues to support the demands of the people of Swaziland on:
1. The unconditional release of all political prisoners
2. Re-registration and recognition of TUCOSWA
3. Unbanning of political parties
4. Multi-party democracy
5. Unconditional return of all exiled activists

We call on those who have the means to support activists inside Swaziland to please offer such support as the comrades are in desperate need for legal and humanitarian assistance. For more information on how you can be involved please contact the federation in Swaziland TUCOSWA General Secretary Vincent Ncongwana on+268-76057005/+268-78252771 E-mail:

tucoswa@swazi.net , (SUDF) Swaziland United Democratic Front Convenor Wandile Dludlu on 268 7611 1676 or +268 250 58926 Email: sudf2008@gmail.com or wandidludlu@yahoo.co.uk as well as the (SDC) Swaziland Democracy Campaign Comrade Philani Ndebele on +27769423565.

These convictions are evidence that the system of governance in Swaziland is undemocratic, repressive and punitive. This is a system that has taken two more bread winners from their families increasing the problem of unsustainable households while the regimes fat cats continue to swim in the pool extravagance.
- See more at: http://www.cosatu.org.za/show.php?ID=9227#sthash.fSTi6uD9.dpuf