Mbabane -
Human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko will not seek bail while his conviction for contempt of court is under appeal because he says he cannot apologise for exercising his right to think and write from his conscience, even if this means persecution by King Mswati’s government.
Maseko and journalist Bheki Makhubu were sentenced in a joint trial to two years in prison last July for articles each published in The Nation.
In the magazine, edited by Makhubu, their articles criticised court actions against a government vehicle inspector who challenged judges for misuse of their government vehicles.
“I have refused to apply for bail because we are in prison for expressing dissent and pointing out injustice. Jail time will not change this fact. We are in jail because of a clean and clear conscience, and we are innocent of crimes for which we have been sentenced.
“Those who keep us in jail are the guilty ones. I cannot beg them for my release,” wrote Maseko in an article published in this month’s New Nation.
“The court should not believe that penalties deter men from a cause they believe is right. History shows that penalties do not deter men and women when their conscience is aroused,” Maseko wrote.
Swazi prison authorities keep a close watch on Maseko. It is not known how he managed to write the article or have it published from his prison cell.
His co-defendant, Makhubu, remains incarcerated.
Foreign Service