By Musa Mdluli

MBABANE:Nkanyiso Mntolo,the Amnesty International Regional Campaigner says the recent tension between Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini and Nation Magazine editor Bheki Makhubu,forms part of the ongoing persecution of independent journalists and human rights defenders in eSwatini.

Speaking to NewsRoom Afrika on Tuesday after the Government took a decision to stop meeting editors and respond to questions,Mntolo said, the Government has been persecuting journalists such that, in 2020 journalist and editor Zweli Dlamini had to flee to South Africa amid persecution by the Government for writing critical articles.

The Government took a decision to stop the Breakfast Meeting with editors,after Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini refused to respond to questions posed by editors of the Times and the Nation Magazine.

The PM told Times Managing editor Martin Dlamini to swallow his own questions and,subsequently ordered that editor Bheki Makhubu must not be given a microphone or allowed to speak again during the Breakfast Meeting.

This was after the Times Managing editor asked the Prime Minister when will Government provide drugs in public hospitals amid the health crisis, the PM subsequently became ‘angry’ and refused to respond while accusing the Times of being negative towards Government.

Amnesty International, an international human rights organization, further touched on the persecution of the President of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) Mlungisi Makhanya and other leaders of the political organization, who challenged the Suppression of Terrorism Act, Mntolo said in eSwatini, the law “is not used to fight terrorism” but, to undermine globally recognized human rights.