Swaziland: Media banned from accessing death cell

On 20 May 2010 prison officials barred journalists from accessing the prison cell in which a political activist, Sipho Jele, is said to have hanged himself recently. Jele, a member of the Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), was arrested on 1 May 2010 for wearing a PUDEMO t-shirt during a Workers Day commemoration in Manzini, Swaziland’s second biggest city. He died in detention two days later from what police and prison authorities claim was suicide.

An inquest delegation led by a senior magistrate appointed by the government was visiting the cell where he died on 21 May 2010 for an inspection in loco.

The media, which accompanied the inquest delegation, were stopped at the prison gates where officials, citing security reasons, were adamant that journalists could not proceed into the cells.

The prison officials stated in no uncertain terms that only the coroner and the lawyers were allowed to inspect the cell.

“Photographers and journalists are not allowed inside prison,” a prison warder told a group of eager journalists waiting to join the inspection inside the prison cells.

Despite efforts of begging by the journalists to be let in, the prison warders could not be convinced to change their minds and the journalists had to wait outside the prison gates until the coroner and lawyers finished their inspection two hours later.

MISA-Swaziland’s position

MISA-Swaziland views the action by the prison warders as plain censorship and harassment of journalists. The issue the journalists were covering is of huge public interest and the journalists should have been allowed to cover the inspection inside prison. The reason for barring them was completely unjustified and suggests that the authorities have something to hide. MISA-Swaziland, therefore, condemns such action and encourages transparency if the government-appointed inquest is to be trusted.

- May 21, 2010 by MISA

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Source: www.misa.org (received via Email Alert on 21.05.2010)