concern over Prisoner of conscience in Swaziland

We are greatly concerned about the lack of attention concerning Mario Masuku, a prisoner of conscience in Swaziland and the President of PUDEMO (People's United Democratic Movement) of Swaziland. He was arrested in 2001, but due to the corrupt and crisis-torn justice system of the Swazi regime, he still has not been given a hearing. There is also a deliberate plan by the regime to allow him to die peacefully. Mr Masuku is suffering from diabetes, which is now worsening. We call upon the international community to immediately send a fact-finding mission to Swaziland, to assess the situation of Masuku, including his sleeping conditions, solitary confinement and terrible conditions in jail. His family is subjected to the most difficult conditions of political persecution, economic hardships and social frustrations. We are concerned that there is no adequate attention being paid to Swaziland compared to Zimbabwe. We are exteremely concerned about the refusal of the Commonwealth to act for the suspension of Swaziland,like it did Zimbabwe.
Bongani Masuku
Secretary General
Swaziland Solidarity Network
tel: 011 339 3621/33 (South Africa)