King Mswati II’s government in Eswatini has sought a wide-ranging interdict in the Mbombela High Court against Zweli Martin Dhlamini,  exiled editor of the online publication Swaziland News. The Eswatini government is asking the South African court to order Swaziland News to give it seven days notice before publishing anything that is defamatory or critical of themselves; to interdict them from publishing false allegations against the King and his police; to declare them in constructive contempt of court and to declare Dlamini as a terrorist.

The case is due to be heard on 13 February.

“It would be unheard of for our courts to order a journalist to give prior notice of their stories to the subjects of those stories,” said CFE’s Anton Harber. “This case is largely about an internal Eswatini political struggle, but it has potential implications for the work of journalists if it goes ahead. It is an attempt to bring the repression in Eswatini into South Africa.”

CFE is watching the case closely.