Zambia must immediately halt downward spiral of infringements on fundamental freedoms: UN experts
GENEVA (29 August 2024) – Independent experts today expressed concern about multiple allegations of arbitrary arrests and detentions on charges of, inter alia, unlawful assembly, espionage, hate speech and seditious practices against opposition political party leaders and members, parliamentarians, human rights defenders and activists, as well as restrictions on gatherings, meetings, peaceful protests and rallies in Zambia.
Since January 2022, at least 26 such cases have been brought to the attention of the experts. Information received indicates that in some cases, arrests, intimidation and harassment stem merely from expressing diverging, and critical views whilst in others, they are intended to curtail participation in political and public life.
“These practices have resulted in increasing political polarisation and self-censorship,” the experts said. “The arrests and restrictions have had a chilling effect on freedom of opinion, expression, association and assembly, which are core components of a robust functioning democracy and risk exacerbating deepening divisions, including along ethnic and regional lines, and further shrinking civic space in the country.”
The experts noted that, since December 2021, they had also received information about 16 incidents against journalists or media outlets, as well as 11 clashes, attacks, and cases of intimidation and assault, mostly perpetrated by ruling party members against members and supporters of opposition parties. According to information received, the church has not been spared, with reported arrests of clergy and disruption of meetings by law enforcement.
“To deescalate tensions, the Government must uphold constitutionally guaranteed rights; create a safe and enabling environment for civic space; expedite legislative reforms, including the Public Order Act, the Penal Code and the State Security Act; ensure the functioning of the National Mechanism for Implementation and Follow-up; and institute measures to ensure that State actors and institutions, including the Zambia Police Service, protect human dignity and rights.”
“We are deeply troubled by allegations that State actors have instrumentalised arcane provisions in the law, including “seditious intention”, to suppress the legitimate exercise of freedom of expression which is also enshrined in international treaties that Zambia has ratified. This is compounded by shortcomings in the administration of justice, such as arrests prior to the conduct of thorough and impartial investigations and undue delays in bringing accused persons before the courts.
“While the Government’s actions to counter hate speech, maintain peace and stability, and promote national unity are welcomed, these must be based on national laws that conform to international human rights law and standards,” the experts said.
“The Government has a responsibility to disrupt destructive patterns of attack and retribution between ruling and opposition parties, which have characterised politics over the last three decades, including by inviting dialogue with the opposition,” they said.
The experts are in contact with the Government of Zambia on these issues.
ENDS
Ms. Gina Romero,Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; Ms. Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Ms. Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organisation and serve in their individual capacity.
For more information and media requests; Vanessa Asensio (vanessa.asensioperez@un.org)
For media enquiries regarding other UN independent experts, please contact Dharisha Indraguptha (dharisha.indraguptha@un.org)
Follow news related to the UN’s independent human rights experts on Twitter: @UN_SPExperts.
Even his LGBT masters are catching up on his oppressive methods. The world should see him for what he really is. This man has taken backwards to the cave days, literally. Totally useless!
Vote wisely in 2026.
Fake news
This is the quality of the UPND outfit! Lord help us. Release people like Danger kumazulo from the clutches of the evil one. We need him for our country Zambia. He doesn’t know what his “mind” tells him is totally wrong and beyond the pale !!!
He’s a one scared hyena. He knows once out of power. Jail awaits him.
Look at who is talking? A white racist where his own country rate black people on the same rate as his house dog. What human rights is in America? Where cops kills black people live on camera? Since HH took office , no cop killed any innocent person, not even on radio. Yet them you can watch as if it was a movie with more than one angle but this moron got audacity to speak of human rights here. The waste human rights abuse is in Europe and America including China. They too, just like us, watched China forcibly evict Black people from apartments but where was this institution that time? Mandela fought apartheid alone and other African Countries- UN didn’t evade South Africa as they do in Congo etc but it is the same torture but just becos South Africa , Apartheid was done by White People there right? There brothers and sisters and it was okay. Zambia , no war, no Apatheid, and there is Human Rights abuses? How? In which way? Go to Zimbabwe next door, u can get more overtime allowances there…shame on u White hypocrites.
This is rigmarole! Zambia has formulated it’s laws and these laws have been existing even when our first President was in office.The law breakers know too well that we have the penal code which defines offences explicitly so.And the criminal procedure code which offers the prescription of punitive measure to be handed down to the would be perpetrators.Zambia from way back doesn’t tolerate hooliganism and babaric behaviour.Freedoms of people are well articulated in the constitution of Zambia and people are freely allowed to exercise their freedoms.The challenge is when one doesn’t want to lean by their lane.They want to meander over ridding their freedoms to step on other people’ freedoms.It is said where ones freedom ends is indeed where ones freedom starts.Mob psychology is what is troubling some individuals.When they are arrested they cry the loudest and start sending messages of falsehood and fake narratives.Their lies are strong and even the waves of the ocean can’t destroy them.They spread fake rumors and misinformation is the order of the day.They spread falsehoods that border on seditious offences which can not be tolerated even in the united kingdom or the United States or any part of land where there is order.Zambia is a democratic country and people enjoy their civil rights to the fullest.Those that find themselves in conflict with the law after they break the law with impunity must not cry and send lies abroad and they become international liars.
What a load of malarkey !!!!
Zambia is a sovereign State running its own affairs, it’s never run from Geneva, it’s run from within by its own leaders. Online hate speech, propaganda, defamation and abuse of children online and other seditious acts are not fundamental human rights or freedoms but crimes against humanity. No sane government can allow them to exist in its country or civilized society. So to revoke these crimes from our laws is the right thing to do, it’s not an infringement on peoples freedoms in any way. We want sanity in the country. Moreover, only few irresponsible propagandists practice them and are the ones complaining, the majority us Zambians don’t do them and we don’t take them to be our freedoms.
Is it when you’re realising this?. HH called for these people at every mention of his name by PF officials whilst in opposition. He should live with it, they’re here and they will censure his actions.
You want to make Zambia a cattle ranch for amabisi.
We are not cattle!!!
It’s gratifying to note that International Organizations have started seeing the rot happening in Zambia. Hakainde has arrested people on flimsy changes more than the combined total of all past presidents since 1964. If what is happening in Zambia was happening in Zimbabwe, boy oh boy, the western countries and their media, could have been talking Zimbabwe daily. And Aid could have been frozen, and people sanctioned..But here they are , in their Embassies giving tacit approval to the dictatorship manifesting in Zambia. Let them know that they are creating a ‘ monster’ whom they will fail to manage. Hakainde looking at his record so far can’t manage credible Presidential and General Elections in 2026..If the man can’t manage a simple ward Bye – Election, Can the man if left to his whims manage a General Election?
And shame to the Civil society, the Church and the media who have chosen to bury their heads in the ground in the midst of such abuses. It’s unheard of even in worst dictatorship where you can daily be arresting people. Zambia has completely lost it. This not who we are!
This is typical of Mumembe. Most likely the whole speech was done by him. PFools.
So thieves have more human rights than the poor people in villages? Paid K300 a month whilst being beaten and shouted at by your fellow white farmers? Isn’t this the worst human rights abuse? Go there and talk from there. Leave the cities you white mwankoles , City are for thieves and all you do is protect thieves in the cities. Your work is out there in the villages and farms including game ranches and national parks and resorts. Go to Siavonga and see how white people cut out the majority black people out of water access on their own Lake. People dying of luck of water yet your own white thief has idol water reserved for his swimming pools and u also have your holidays there by the way. Bunch of fools and lies. Tsek