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MBABANE – Seventeen accused persons, who were arrested for having allegedly committed terrorist acts, claim they are being subjected to callous treatment in prison.

They claim that at the &orrec tional Services, facilities, they were subMected to torture and to other inhumane and mortifying treatment for no apparent reason.

Some are complaining about the rationing of the food they get on a daily basis, the daily menu and the Tuality of the food.

The accused persons further claimed that they were being re fused medical attention after being purportedly assaulted by warders. $nother allegation is that those who were on special diets some times slept on empty stomachs.

This has resulted in their $ttor ney, Professor 'lamini, writing to the commissioner general of +is MaMesty’s &orrectional Services (+M&S , where he made a litany of allegations.

Complainants

$ll the complaints are from those who are facing charges under the Suppression of Terrorism $ct of

, and they include among others, self confessed commander of the Solidarity Forces, Thabo .unene, Musa .unene, the man who was reportedly responsible for recruiting people to be trained in South $frica to overthrow the government and 1camiso Ma buyakhulu, who is a member of the proscribed Swa]iland

In a three ± page letter, the lawyer said his clients informed him that, they were allegedly subMected to all sorts of inhumane and degrading treatment at the &orrectional Ser vices facilities.

'lamini brought it to the atten tion of the commissioner general that, when some of the accused persons were brought to prison, they were told to provide a list of

relatives who would visit them four times a month.

It is alleged that per week, only four visitors were allowed. $c cording to 'lamini, due to the fact that the list was compiled in haste, his client gave the prison authorities names of people, who eventually did not come to check on them in prison.

+e alleged that his clients had made numerous reTuests to the social welfare officers, to have their list of visitors reviewed and or changed but that proved an impossible mission, as same was refused. These are allegations whose veracity is still to be tested.

“Some of the suspects are from time to time subMected to torture and other inhumane and degrading treatment for no apparent reason. This has resulted in some of the suspects approaching the courts to e[pose the unMust treatment they suffered at the hands of your subordinates and for the protection of their rights, especially their right to medical attention after having been assaulted,´ reads part of the correspondence directed to the +M&S commissioner general.

Medication

+e also alleged that some of his clients informed him that, even though they were on medication, which they were reTuired to take in the evening, they were unable to do so. 'lamini mentioned that some of the accused persons were on special diets due to different ailments they development while in prison and they reTuested pris on medical staff to allow them to have food in the evening, but such reTuest was allegedly turned down. It is alleged that as a result, the affected accused persons ended up not taking their medication in the evening.

“$ll the suspects sleep on small mats or tattered blankets and as winter approaches, they will be e[posed to cold and that will com promise their state of health,´ alleged the attorney.

'lamini further claimed that his clients further brought it to his attention that they allegedly did not get the necessary medication they reTuired for their ailments.

Buy

The attorney asserted that his clients informed him that, instead of being provided with the medi cation, they were prescribed med ications they would have to buy on their own. +e pointed out that his clients could not afford to buy the medication prescribed by the doctors in prison and could not supplement their food rations.

It was their lawyer’s contention that even if his clients were taken to the public hospitals, like all members of the public, they would more often than not, be given pre scriptions to secure medications from private pharmacies, yet they did not have money.

+e highlighted that it was com mon knowledge that government allegedly did not have enough medication in all public health centres in the country.

Ncamiso Mabuyakhulu (L) and German Robert Dlamini as well as Philani Sihlongonyane (behind police officer) being escorted to the High Court building in this file picture.