Swazi regime under pressure in the case of Sipho Jele

There have been many developments during the week that has passed since Sipho Jele died in police custody in Swaziland. Most significant is the fact that the Swazi regime has been pressured into holding an inquest into Sipho Jele’s death, and according to Bongani Masuku of Cosatu, Pudemo has also been able to secure legal assistance for Sipho Jele’s family. The lawyer has already made possible the identification of Sipho Jele’s body by his family last Saturday as well as ensuring that an foreign independent pathologist performs the autopsy, although the date for the autopsy has not yet been set. It is most likely that these positive developments in an otherwise bleak situation have only come about because of persistent internal and external pressure on the Swazi regime, and the labour movement in Swaziland in the form of Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions and the Swaziland National Association of Teachers are therefore planning a protest march next week to the Prime Minister’s office to keep up this pressure, where they will be joined by other civic organisations and concerned Swazi citizens.

Links:

Sipho Jele’s inquest comes to an end, Times of Swaziland, 4 December 2010

ILO, the public to get Sipho Jele’s report soon, Times of Swaziland, 26 October 2010

Sipho Jele’s death incident worries ILO, Swazi Observer, 26 October 2010

PM misleads ILO on Jele inquest, Swazi Media Commentary, 26 October 2010

Jele’s inquest postponed indefinitely, Times of Swaziland, 7 August 2010

Swazi Observer has no shame, Swazi Media Commentary, 17 May 2010

We were there for law, order – police, The Swazi Observer, 17 May 2010

Eyewitness to activists funeral, Swazi Media Commentary, 17 May 2010

Swazi police disrupts activist’s funeral, Afrol News, 17 May 2010

Jele funeral stopped,Times of Swaziland, 17 May 2010

Pudemo man’s coffins used to fool cops, Times of Swaziland, 16 May 2010

Pudemo this, Pudemo that, Times of Swaziland, 16 May 2010

Armed cops halt activist funural, Swazi Media Commentary, 16 May 2010

Dead Pudemo man’s file goes missing at high court, Times of Swaziland, 15 May 2010

PUDEMO man’s aunt summoned, Times of Swaziland, 15 May 2010

International outcry over Swazi activist’s death in detention, Mail & Guardian, 14 May 2010

Swaziland: Fagforeningsaktivist dør i fængsel, U-landsnyt.dk, 14 May 2010

PUDEMO rejects activists suicide, Swazi Media Commentary, 14 May 2010

Swaziland unionist denied burial, Afrol news, 14 May 2010

Letter from ACTSA on the death of Swazi activist Sipho Jele, ACTSA website, 14 May 2010

Shattered by Sipho Jele’s death, Times of Swaziland, 14 May 2010

Response to Sipho Jele’s death, Times of Swaziland, 14 May 2010

Govt okays march, Swazi Observer, 14 May 2010

Democracy activist cannot be buried,  Swazi Media Commentary, 14 May 2010

Swazi activist killing – one of many, Swazi Media Commentary, 13 May 2010

Swaziland: When murder still can’t be enough to make the world roar with anger, Swaziland Dmeocracy Campaign statement, 12 May 2010

Swazi trade unionist “killed” in custody, Afrol News, 12 May 2010

Swaziland: Trade Unionist dies in custody, International Trade Union Confederation, 12 May 2010

PUDEMO man found with blood, swollen face, Times of Swaziland, 12 May 2010

TUC protests at suspicious death of Swazi trade unionist Sipho Jele, TUC website, 11 May 2010

March to protest activist killing, Swaziland Commentary, 11 May 2010

Postmortem for PUDEMO man tommorrow, Times of Swaziland, 11 May 2010

Amnesty International public statement on the death of Sipho Jele, 10 May 2010

Sipho Jele at Wikipedia

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