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27th August 2014

PRESS STATEMENT

Re: Stoppage of prayer meeting at Tex Ray by the Royal Swaziland Police

 

The Swazi Vigil UK group condemns, in the strongest terms, the unprovoked and unjustified stoppage of a prayer meeting organized by the Swaziland United Democratic Front (SUDF) and the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) at Tex Ray yesterday (26th August 2014) and the harassment of the organisers of the prayer. We view this as nothing more than continued violation of the right of assemble and right to religion, both of which are guaranteed by the constitution of Swaziland. The reasons given by the police for stopping the prayer meeting are spurious and betray an unfortunate anti-union mindset by the Royal Swaziland Police and the Swaziland government in general. Swazis have the constitutional right to hold peaceful prayers without interference from police and the disruption of the workers prayer meeting is as reprehensible as it was provocative. We at the Swazi Vigil UK will continue to raise issues of human rights violations in Swaziland here in the United Kingdom and call for international pressure to bear on Swaziland.

 

Veli Sthembile Tsabedze