AIPAC WELCOMES NEWS OF UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON HUMAN RIGHTS VISIT TO ZAMBIA!
Lusaka, Zambia – January 16, 2025
The Acton Institute for Policy Analysis Centre (AIPAC) warmly welcomes the upcoming visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights to Zambia, scheduled to take place on January 19, 2025. This visit presents an opportunity for the Rapporteur to engage with diverse stakeholders and gain a comprehensive understanding of the human rights situation in Zambia.
We appeal to the UN Special Rapporteur to ensure that their delegation meets with a broad range of stakeholders, including those who may not have been represented in the past. This includes community leaders, civil society organization’s, and representives of persons with disabilities who have valuable insights into the human rights situation in Zambia.
In the past, we have noted that some stakeholders, particularly politicians, have been given undue prominence, resulting in a skewed perception of our country’s image. We urge the UN office in Zambia to ensure that all stakeholders are given an opportunity to present their reports on the human rights situation in Zambia and the improvements we have achieved as a country under President HH’s administration.
Notably, we have made significant strides in promoting human rights, including the removal of the death penalty and the defamation of the president clause from our constitution. However, we acknowledge that there have been instances of police abuse of power, and we urge the government to continue working on human rights reports, particularly in regards to the conduct of the Zambia Police especially abuse of seditius offences which are undemocratic and outdated and the urgent need to amend it because it may affect those enjoying the abuse of this law in the near future.
We also call upon politicians to refrain from making statements that may damage the country’s image or call for sanctions against the UPND administration. Such behavior can have far-reaching consequences and undermine the country’s reputation.
We look forward to the UN Special Rapporteur’s visit and hope that it will contribute to a better understanding of the human rights situation in Zambia. We are committed to promoting human rights and the rule of law in our country and believe that this visit will be an important step in that direction.
For more information, please contact:
Solomon Ngoma
Executive Director