2 critics of Swaziland government found guilty of contempt of court after publishing articles
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A lawyer in Swaziland says two government critics there have been found guilty of contempt of court in a case that focused attention on human rights in the landlocked African kingdom.
Sipho Gumedze, a human rights lawyer, said Thursday that the two critics — a lawyer and a magazine editor — are considering an appeal. Sentencing is expected at a later date.
Lawyer Thulani Maseko and Bheki Makhubu, editor of Swaziland's The Nation magazine, had been charged after publishing articles in which they lamented alleged threats to judicial independence.
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Swaziland is ruled by King Mswati III, Africa's last absolute monarch. The country held parliamentary elections last year, but many international observers said the process was a sham designed to prolong the king's grip on power.