●“Amnesty International calls on the Zambian authorities to revoke these passport cancellations, restore these individuals’ passports and remedy any harm resulting from this unlawful decision.”
●“The arbitrary cancellation of passports by Zambian authorities is a violation of international human rights law. By weaponizing citizenship documents to target dissidents, activists, or political opponents, authorities explicitly breach the right to freedom of movement enshrined in Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ICCPR.
Zambia: By cancelling passports, authorities are using administrative powers to silence critics.
Responding to reports that the Zambian authorities have cancelled the passports of former Zambian Ambassador to Ethiopia and former Permanent Representative to the African Union Emmanuel Mwamba, historian and academic Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa, former opposition Members of Parliament Binwell Mpundu and Emmanuel Jay Banda, former State House Special Assistant Kaizer Zulu, and blogger Lillian Mutambo on 11 September, Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa said:
“The arbitrary cancellation of passports by Zambian authorities is a violation of international human rights law. By weaponizing citizenship documents to target dissidents, activists, or political opponents, authorities explicitly breach the right to freedom of movement enshrined in Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ICCPR.”
The arbitrary cancellation of passports by Zambian authorities is a violation of international human rights law.
By weaponizing citizenship documents to target dissidents, activists, or political opponents, authorities explicitly breach the right to freedom of movement enshrined in Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ICCPR.
Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa;
“This is deeply concerning, particularly given the wider post-election crackdown on dissent, including arbitrary arrests and detention of members of the opposition and other government critics.”
“The decision to cancel these passports effectively strips these individuals of their legal and social identity and traps them in a state of de facto statelessness. It undermines their dignity and basic civil protections.”
“The decision to cancel these passports effectively strips these individuals of their legal and social identity and traps them in a state of de facto statelessness.”
“It undermines their dignity and basic civil protections”.
Vongai Chikwanda: “Amnesty International calls on the Zambian authorities to revoke these passport cancellations, restore these individuals’ passports and remedy any harm resulting from this unlawful decision.”
That which the said are doing is not silencing critics. What has Kaizer Zulu said? Mpundu and the others have skipped on the courts.
Transparancy International should be seeking from Government and let due process unravel what the state cites as “Security…..”.
We have an on going treason matter.
The utterances of some the individuals MAY have led to some of the violent outbreaks and disruption during the election period. Has TI considered that? Or merely rushed to defend the law breakers. Lets be responisbile and objective as an organisation. Lives are at steak when a few zealots make reckless statements and conduct themselves like they are above the law.
We had the UN rapporture twice coming to the aid of crime waddling politial elements. Were some of them not imprisoned after being found guilty? Were some not the same ones hiding behind a mircophone while hoping from nation to nation while stirring division in Zambia? Objectivity is what we ask. Stop vilifying criminals. The same criminals are being prosecuted under the same laws they enacted. Or their regime put into law.