Swaziland 2014 violations & victories 5 March Police manhandled and detained students at a high school in the country’s capital Mbabane as the students protested against the school’s decision to suspend sporting activities. 1 June Appeal court set aside a criminal contempt of court ruling against Bheki Makhubu. However, Makhubu remained in detention on another contempt of court charge. 25 July Editor of The Nation Bheki Makhubu and human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko sentenced to two years in prison, without the option of a fine for separate news articles each wrote criticising the kingdom’s chief justice, published in the independent news magazine, The Nation. August Swaziland minister for information, communication and technology Dumisani Ndlangamandla warns national TV and radio stations are primarily there to serve the interests of the state. 4 September The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association kicked out journalists from a post elections seminar held in the town of Ezulweni. 8 March Prominent human rights lawyer, Thulani Maseko and Nation magazine editor, Bheki Makhubu arrested and charged with contempt of court relating to two separate articles in The Nation magazine and were critical of the arrest of government vehicle inspector Bhantshana Gwebu, who is also facing a contempt of court charge. 18 July Members of banned political organisations in Swaziland said prison guards didn’t let them take a copy of newsmagazine The Nation into one of the kingdom’s prisons. 7 August Swazi Prime Minister told union representatives to “strangle” two civil society activists when they return from a civil society conference in Washington DC. 27 August Vincent Ncongwane, the secretary general of the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA), prevented from speaking at a gathering in Matsapha. 12 December Swazi Senate President Gelane Simelane-Zwane won US$50,000 in defamation case against privately-owned daily newspaper, Times of Swaziland.