Washington
July 1, 2015
In response to Swaziland’s Supreme Court ordering for the release of human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko and journalist Bheki Makhubu, imprisoned after the publication of articles critical of the country’s judiciary, Freedom House issued the following statement:
"The imprisonment of Maseko and Makhubu violated their rights to a fair trial and freedom of expression,” said Vukasin Petrovic, director of Africa programs. "The Supreme Court's decision to release the two is encouraging but we should remember the political prisoners and prisoners of conscience who remain imprisoned in Swaziland."
Background:
Thulani Maseko and Bheki Makhubu were convicted for contempt of court in July 2014 and sentenced to two years in prison after publishing a series of articles examining the independence of the judiciary in Swaziland.
Swaziland is rated Not Free in Freedom in the World 2015 and Not Free in Freedom of the Press 2015.
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