SECTOR 1 convictions on contempt of court charges on 17 July 2014. The Nation and Independent Publishers were each fined R50,000. Makhubu was previously accused of and charged for ‘scandalising the court’ based on articles he wrote in 2009 and 2010, in which he criticised the controversial Chief Justice Michael Ramodibedi. Makhubu, however, won a Supreme Court appeal the day before the AMB, in which the magazine’s publishers were ordered to pay a fine of E30,000 (US$3,000), reduced from E200,000. Makhubu also received a three-month fully suspended sentence on the condition that he is not convicted of another “offence scandalising the court” in the next three years. [Note: Ramodibedi, who in 2010 controversially described himself as the “makhulu baas” (big boss) of the country’s judges, is a Lesotho national who was reappointed to this position in 2012 despite the 2005 Constitution stipulating that the position should be held by a Swazi. The chief justice has been criticised by pro-democracy activists for, among others, issuing a ‘practice directive’ making it impossible to sue King Mswati III. The ruling indicated that no freedom was absolute in Swaziland, as they are conditional on and subservient to the rights of others (in this case, the judge who was attacked) and the public interest. There is concern that this appeal ruling will impact negatively on the outcome of the Makhubu and Maseko cases and other cases involving issues related to freedom of expression. There are no other pieces of legislation that which support the right to freedom of expression. However, there are more than 30 laws that limit this right (see indicator 1.3). Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 14 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER Swaziland 2014 1.9 (2005: 1.5; 2007: 2.1; 2009: 2.1; 2011: 2.3)