Swaziland: State radio censors trade unions

The state Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Services (SBIS), has banned trade unions from accessing the radio station unless they have been sanctioned by the police. According to a new policy introduced by the radio station, trade unions are now banned from airing their announcements on radio unless these are accompanied by police approval.

SBIS Deputy Director, Jerome Dlamini, told the local media that the policy is meant to avoid situations where the radio station might find itself broadcasting illegal meetings called by the unions.

The policy has been condemned by Swaziland’s three main labour movements – the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions, the Swaziland Federation of Labour , and the Swaziland National Association of Teachers.  The unions join other civil society organizations including human rights NGOs and political formations which are also banned from accessing the state media, including radio and TV.

In a joint statement to the media and also copied to MISA-Swaziland, the three unions labelled the policy as short-sighted and evidence that Swaziland has become a police state.

MISA-Swaziland condemned the action by SBIS as blatant censorship which seriously violates the unions’ right to free expression and accessing public media. It appealed to the station’s authorities to reconsider the policy and allow the unions and any other civil society organisations unconditional access to national radio which is funded by tax-payers.

- August 09, 2010 by MISA Swaziland

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Source: www.misa.org  (received via email alert on 09.08.2010)