Africa Contact

24 October 2013

Last February, Sidahmed Lemjayed was sentenced to life imprisonment for peaceful political activities in Western Sahara – a country which has been occupied by neighbouring Morocco since 1975.

One of the accused, Chaikh Banga, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison, said during the trial: "If my love for my country is considered an offense let the world witness that I am a gangster."

‘The end of the beginning? 2011, a year in the struggle for freedom in Swaziland’ by Richard Rooney is a new book published on 31 December 2011 and available free-of-charge online.

Student leader and Swazi political prisoner Maxwell Dlamini has suffered what his family described as a possible mild stroke yesterday but was apparently denied proper treatment.

"This is just a way to scare students from excising their right to freedom of speech,” “Stay strong Maxwell,” “Solidarity from Barcelona. We send you our energy and strength!!!,” “In solidarity!