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Global Day of Action to Free Maxwell and All Political Prisoners [Sept. 5th 2011]

Fri, 12/08/2011 - 15:57 — Mo


~ deutsch ~ français ~

Global Day of Action to Free Maxwell
and All Political Prisoners
~ September 5th 2011 ~

Videos on the Situation in Swaziland

This call was initiated by activists on the International Student Movement - Africa (ISM-Africa) platform.

We call upon all students, student bodies, human rights groups and all concerned organisations and individuals to lobby for the urgent and unconditional release of Maxwell Dlamini (President of the Swaziland National Union of Students) and all political prisoners. Maxwell was detained on April 12th on false accusations that he was in possession of explosives, yet it is clear that his detention arose from his active involvement in fighting for student rights against a scholarship policy that the Swazi government drafted independently without the input of students whose futures are at stake.
Maxwell wrote his examinations in May behind bars and passed his Diploma in Commerce. He is now supposed to automatically enroll in a degree programme, however he is academically frustrated since he is in prison.
Among others the National Congress for Democratic Change Youth Assembly (NACODEC Youth Assembly) demands his urgent release since all charges are false and the state has failed to prove its case. Maxwell must enjoy his right to education and we demand his unconditional release.

OTHER POLITICAL PRISONERS: The Swazi government currently holds five political prisoners. These courageous freedom figthers are kept imprisoned by the government simply because they have been part of the struggle for democracy and human rights, as well as social and economic progress for the people of Swaziland.
These activists and leaders have been routinely tortured and denied access to family members and friends. Their health is deteriorating each day and they are denied proper medical assistance. They are held on trumped up charges because the government considers their activism for democracy and freedom a danger to the rule of King Mswati III. The rule of law protects only the selected few in Swaziland. Our comrades held in prison by the government have no rights.

This Global Day of Action calls for the unconditional release of all political prisoners in Swaziland and around the world, as well as for concerted action to prevent more activists being detained as the struggle for democracy and freedom continues.
The government denies that it has political prisoners. It also denies that there are political exiles living abroad. It lies continuously and blantantly in an effort to appear reasonable and fair. At the same time the government presides while constantly oppressing the Swazi people through enforced poverty and degradation as well as the denial of democratic, social and economic rights. Those who campaign against this vile injustice are persecuted by the state.

We call on all progressive organisations, youths and concerned people around the world to march to Swaziland embassies/consulates on September 5th 2011 in their region to add their voices to demand the immediate release of Maxwell Dlamini and all political prisoners. Of course alternative forms of action are also welcome, if you have no embassy/consulate of Swaziland near you.
This must be a first step towards unbanning progressive political movements in Swaziland and around the world. This Global Day of Action also pushes for the protected right of the people to free assembly and guarantee a safe return for exiles.


Turning Global Solidarity into Reality!


Please use ism.africa@gmail.com to announce your actions in advance and send in your reports with pictures/videos afterwards. This is important, so that your activities can also be included in press releases and people worldwide will get to hear about them.
For more details on the case of Maxwell go here.
Hashtag on twitter: #freeMaxwell

event page:



Solidarity Video Message from Marburg to activists in Swaziland ›
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Mon, 22/08/2011 - 08:57 — Sharon (not verified)

So, he is being held after

So, he is being held after his trial and the prosecution lost their case? I hope that there are others who are going to follow this closely. I also hope that you will keep us informed of what happens here.

There is a way to wager at an casino online and win every time but my gambling experience has not brought me to that yet.

Mon, 29/08/2011 - 21:22 — Mo

Actions announced so far!

Actions announced so far:

Various groups in Germany (and probably elsewhere as well) want to send out press releases on September 5th to support the "Global Day of Action to Free Maxwell Dlamini and All Political Prisoners".
They also want to include the different actions worldwide as part of the global day of action inside the press releases.

Announce your actions inside the forum by leaving a comment or send an e-mail to ism.africa@gmail.com as soon as possible!

So far the following actions linked to the day of action were announced:

  • Solidarity Action at Aarhus University in Denmark: facebook.com
  • Massive marches in Swaziland itself (called by the Swaziland United Democratic Front[SUDF]): facebook.com + National Congress for Democratic Change (NACODC) Youth Assembly will march in Mbabane, Manzini and Siteki. encourages activists to wear Red shirts or a Red ribbon in solidarity
  • Massive march in South Africa (called by the Congress of South African Trade Unions [CSATU])
    -> the Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN) mobilises for rallies in front of the Swazi embassy and consulate in Pretoria and Johannesburg (both in South Africa)
  • Solidarity actions at the consulates of Swaziland in Düsseldorf und Berlin (Rally in Berlin: 4pm - Honorargeneralkonsulat vom  Swasiland Große Präsidentenstr. 5 -> event page on facebook) - a solidarity statement supported by groups across Germany will be delivered
    -> activists are also working to launch a global petition in solidarity with the democracy movement in Swaziland on Sept.5th
    -> in Marburg activists will also drop a banner and record a video message (probably ahead of Sept. 5th)
  • STUDIM KRITIKE VEPRIM - STUDY CRITICS ACTION is going to publish a press release in solidarity. It is a group at the University of Prishtina - the only public university in Kosovo with over 50,000 students
  • Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) will be holding a vigil outside the Swaziland High Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London, on 6 September 2011 (12.30 – 13.30), calling for democracy and rights for Swaziland. It will be presenting cards calling for the release from prison of Maxwell Dlamini, of the Swaziland National Union of Students (SNUS) and Musa Ngebuni of the Swaziland Youth Congress (Swayoco).

★ Global Solidarity makes us Strong ★

Tue, 22/01/2013 - 01:59 — Mo

actions in Berlin and Marburg

Activists at the University of Marburg arranged a solidarity action and created a video in support of political prisoners in Swaziland!

also online on archive.org

On the same day, September 5th, activists gathered at the consulate of Swaziland in Berlin:

Global Action Day for the Release of Maxwell Dlamini in Berlin (Germany) on Sept. 5th 2011

Statement from the students in Berlin:

In Berlin 20 students protested in front of the Honorary Consulate of Swaziland for the release of Maxwell Dlamini and all political prisoners. At the same time protesters met in Düsseldorf with the same demands.

Maxwell, president of the Swaziland National Union of Students (SNUS), was imprisoned in April because of his political activity. He worked to achieve free education and thus was part of the democracy movement in Swaziland.

The students in Berlin demand the immediate release of Maxwell and all political prisoners who are imprisoned in Swaziland.

Since the Honorary Consule Dr. Volker Stoltz was not present, the international supporters list of the „Free Maxwell“ campaign could only be deposited in his mailbox. Apart from the demands to free Maxwell the speakers reminded of the oppression of women and neglection of human rights in Swaziland, one of the last absolute monarchies in Africa.