HARARE Zimbabwean human rights lawyers have criticized visiting Swazi King Mswati III for ordering the arrest of a prominent lawyer back in his kingdom and his generally repressive rule.The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) urged the African leaders who gather in Victoria Falls today for the COMESA heads of state and government summit to implore the king to release the lawyer who has been in police custody since June 3. King Mswati arrived in Zimbabwe on Wednesday on a five- day state visit. He is expected to attend the COMESA Summit to be officially opened today by President Robert Mugabe.
On Thursday, King Mswati visited one of the farms of controversial Zimbabwe Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono before proceeding to visit Bulawayo, the second largest city. However, the ZLHR said on Friday they were not taking it kindly that King Mswati was feasting in Harare while his authorities were harassing prominent lawyer Thulani Maseko who was arbitrarily arrested and subsequently detained on 3 June 2009.
During the time of his arrest Maseko was representing Mario Masuku, the President of Swazilands opposition Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), which is banned in the country. Masuku faces charges under Swazilands Suppression of Terrorism Act, a repressive piece of legislation which came into force in 2008 and which human rights activists say Mswati has used to suppress citizens right to participate in the government of the country.
The recent arrest of Maseko is a negation of Swazilands obligations as a member of SADC and the African Union, the ZLHR said in a statement. It added that Swaziland is obliged under a continental charter on human rights to ensure that lawyers are able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference.
The ZLHR called on leaders attending the COMESA summit to voice their displeasure with the Kings repressive rule.
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