An eSwatini journalist forced to flee the country after criticising the handling of the coronavirus pandemic by King Mswati III’s government has been honoured for his work in exposing shortcomings of the southern African country’s response to the global crisis.
Eugene Dube, the editor and publisher of the privately owned news website Swati Newsweek, was arrested in April for allegedly publishing two articles that were considered to be critical of King Mswati.
He had to flee to neighbouring South Africa after the police continued harassing his reporters.
In one of the articles, titled “King Reckless on Swazis’ Health,” the journalist accused the eSwatini government of failing to adequately respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He was on Tuesday named among 30 coronavirus “information heroes” by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
The group described these as “whistleblowers and media outlets whose courage, perseverance or capacity to innovate has helped to circulate reliable and vital information during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
“Every crisis produces its heroes. Around the world there are journalists, whistleblowers and media outlets that have managed to overcome the barriers to information created since the start of the pandemic,” RSF secretary general Christophe Deloire said.
He noted that “through their reporting or by means of initiatives that have needed courage, audacity and determination, they have provided access to trustworthy and quality information, helped to resist censorship, and combatted the runaway disinformation that threatens public health.”
Among those honoured were TogoCheck which produces anti-fake news videos in local languages, WAFM of Cote d’Ivoire and Chinese doctor and whistleblower LI Wenliang.
JN/APA