PUDEMO AND SNAT ACTIVIST ARRESTED AND DETAINED BY POLICE IN SWAZILAND
The Swaziland Youth Congress and the Swaziland Democracy Campaign condemns the arrest comrade Sifiso Mabuza, the former Deputy President of the Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO). The arrest followed a recent police raid where more than 30 policemen dressed in civilian clothes raided his home and terrorised his family.
Mabuza is the Deputy Secretary of the Swaziland National Teachers Association (SNAT) in Siteki Top Branch, and he is an NEC member of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO). Mswati’s brutal police arrested him early this morning, 12 November 2014. He has been charged under the draconian Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008 and he has been remanded by the Siteki magistrates’ court to Big Bend Prison until the 24th of November 2014, when he is to appear at the high court of Swaziland.
The Mswati led regime perpetually uses the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008 to silence all those who call for freedom and democracy in Swaziland. We condemn his arrest and the continued persecution of all political activists. We demand his immediate release from the police cells and the release of other leaders and all political prisoners from Mswati’s jails. As the crisis in Swaziland deepens by the day and the plight of human rights and workers rights worsens, we call upon all democracy loving people in Swaziland to intensify the struggle for freedom and democracy. We also call upon all the progressive forces around the world to deepen people/worker-to-people/worker solidarity with the people of Swaziland.
The Mswati led regime must be isolated from the international community for failing to respect human and people’s rights. Decisive action must be taken to ensure transformation in Swaziland. A new political dispensation, a constitutional multi party democracy, premised on the respect for human and people’s rights and dignity could be the beginning of that process.
Issued by SWAYOCO and SDC