Apr 24, 2014 | News
On 22 and 23 April 2014 Swazi women’s rights organizations and human rights defenders participated in a workshop on women’s human rights organised by the ICJ and Swazi partners in Mbabane.
Participants discussed a range of issues including gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health, customary law and constitutional protection for gender equality.
The workshop was designed to assist and facilitate civil society engagement in the forthcoming review by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (the Committee) of Swaziland’s implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
Swaziland ratified CEDAW in 2004.
In July 2014 the country’s combined first and second report under the Convention will be reviewed by the Committee which will issue recommendations as to how Swaziland can improve its implementation of the Convention.
Apr 23, 2014 | Multimedia items, News, Video clips
On Tuesday 22 April 2014 Judge Mpendulo Simelane began hearing evidence in the High Court in Swaziland in the trial of human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko and journalist Bheki Makhubu for contempt of court.
Apr 9, 2014 | News
The ICJ is gravely concerned at reports that fresh arrest warrants have been issued for human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko and journalist Bheki Makhubu following efforts by the court to have them remanded in custody.
Mar 27, 2014 | News
The ICJ consider that yesterday’s order to prolong the detention pending trial of Swazi human rights lawyer, Thulani Rudolf Maseko, and The Nation Magazine editor Bheki Makhubu, for 7 more days, was inconsistent with the right to liberty.
The ICJ sent a team of lawyers to observe yesterday’s court hearing in Mbabane because of concerns that not only was the arrest and detention seemingly arbitrary, but also that the charges for contempt of court may be inconsistent with the enjoyment of the right to freedom of expression.
In the light of its concerns in the case, including with regard to the respect for the rights to a fair hearing before an independent and impartial tribunal, the rights to liberty and the rights to freedom of expression, the ICJ intends to continue to monitor the proceedings against Thulani Rudolf Maseko and Bheki Makhubu, and will send an international observer to the next hearing which is expected to take place on 1 April 2014.
Further information:
swaziland-maseko and makhubu custody hearing-2014 (full press release)
Contact:
Arnold Tsunga, Director, ICJ Africa Regional Programme, Arnold.tsunga(a)icj.org, +27 11 024 8268 or +27 73 131 8411
Martin Okumu-Masiga, Deputy Director, ICJ Africa Regional Programme, martin.okumu-masiaga(a)icj.org, +27 78 234 9125.
Mar 24, 2014 | News
The ICJ, in collaboration with other organizations, has dispatched a team of lawyers to attend the bail hearing of prominent lawyer and human rights defender, Thulani Maseko and journalist, Bheki Makhubu on 25 March 2014.
The ICJ is working with the SADC Lawyers Association, the Southern Africa Litigation Centre, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and the Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Network.
Maseko and Makhubu were jointly charged on 18 March 2014 and remanded to appear on 25 March for a bail hearing.
Their lawyer was not allowed to make submissions when the accused appeared for initial remand, in contravention of regional and international standards guaranteeing the right to be represented by a lawyer in legal proceedings.
The accused were arrested after Chief Justice Ramodibedi issued a warrant for their arrest on charges of criminal contempt of court.
The charges arise from articles allegedly written by Maseko and Makhubu in February and March 2014, in which they questioned circumstances surrounding the arrest of government vehicle inspector, Vincent Gwebu.
The vehicle inspector had been arrested and charged with contempt of court after he had arrested the driver of a High Court Judge.
They questioned the integrity, impartiality and independence of the Swaziland judiciary in the way they handled the Gwebu case.
The legality of the arrest, detention and charges is likely to be challenged at the bail hearing.
The ICJ trial observer team of lawyers will assess the compliance of the trial proceedings with international standards of fair trial, including those of the African Union.
The ICJ has previously expressed initial concern that the arrest and detention appear to be arbitrary, and carried out in retribution for their exercise of their right to freedom of expression.
The ICJ also previously expressed further initial concern that the lawyer for the two was not allowed the legitimate exercise of his professional functions as a lawyer when the two appeared before the Chief Justice for the initial remand.
The team of trial observers consists of the following lawyers: Arnold Tsunga, Director, ICJ Africa Regional Programme; Martin Okumu-Masiga, Deputy Director, ICJ Africa Regional Programme; Andrew Makoni, Board member, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights; and Emilia Siwingwa, Deputy Director, SADC Lawyers Association.
Contact
For further information contact Arnold Tsunga or Martin Okumu-Masiga on +27 11 024 8268, +27 73 131 8411 or +27 78 234 9125.
