UN experts have called on the Zambian government to immediately stop actions that infringe on fundamental freedoms. In a press statement issued on 29 August 2024, the experts raised concerns over multiple allegations of arbitrary arrests, detentions, and restrictions on gatherings, particularly targeting opposition leaders, parliamentarians, human rights defenders, and activists.
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
Source UNITED NATION
Freedom of Speech….the government should stop intimidating people….as far as i know you can say whatever you want…..again its called freedom of Speech
Kawana and that ZambiaWatchdog working at state house doesn’t deserve a soul.
Take those out, and you smell fresh air in Zambia.
But: don’t kill them for a mere K100pin.
Whn nascient democracies descend into chaos and senseless violence, the UN is too often not there to help in restoration of order until it’s too late. The UN has local offices in Zambia and this should be helping in gathering the facts about Zambia. Many opposition leaders have made speeches that could easily inflame passions and lead to violence. Some leaders in government have also made careless statements which should have merited severe rebuke and police action.
Very embarrassing if not shameful for a foreigner to tell you to stop mistreating those in your household. And you run away to China because the Chinese dont talk about your kitchen or living room affairs
Why has Mwanza, a little boy protesting against his country’s President been arrested at Freedom Statue today? Where is our freedom of speech which HH pretended to fight for?
All of a sudden we are being threatened with draconian cyber laws by ministers who seem to have never entered a lecture room for freedom of speech and democracy. What kind of police state are we tolerating? THis HH guy is Hidi Hamin! That Mwiimbu is Vladmwimbu Lenin!
People change…in opposition HH was such a saint…..it was all pretense…and i mentioned earlier that very soon HH will start his Globetrotting trips…from now till Christmas…watch from China straight to UN General Assembly in New York
These people must wake up, their their proxy pony won the elections on social media and he has completely lost it on the ground. The disgraced west has no limit to the bottomless pit. Any way “ Kingdoms rise and wane” is this time for the small gods of the earth to wane? Only hot air is being produced in the last three year.
They wont be in government forever with this kind of behaviour
“UN experts” ?????
The UN general Council, United Nations Human Rights Council etc usually issue such statements.
I’m sure the source is smart eagles or their affiliated social media pages.
LT in their pockets
Without disputing the points raised in the article, I am also left wondering at the reference to “UN Experts” without naming a single one of them or what grouping within the UN these expert were from! At the end, the source is simply attributed to UNITED NATIONS!! Curious.
Click on the link at the bottom of the story. It will take you to the source: the UN organ responsible for human rights.
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.
HH has turned into something else. One moment he’s harassing the opposition and citizens, the next he’s so desparate that he spends the entire month attending tribal dances from one corner of the country to the other corner….or attending a catholic mass. I wish this had come from the British High Commission.
Emmanuel Mwamba is fond of scraping the bottom of the internet for garbage to feed as fodder, to gullibles like Deja Foool
@MuZambezian. Please go find your tribal cousins to exchange nonsense with. I end there and if you are a normal person you will stop this rubbish.
1.Where were the so called UN experts when opposition parties were not even allowed to meet in their homes? They were teargassedeven in churches and ended up holding meetings in the bush.
2.Where were the so called UN experts when Zambians were being brutalised and killed by pf cadre
In Zambia ,there are Laws which everyone must follow. These laws were not passed by the current government e.g The Public Order act.
I urge the so called UN experts to study and respect the Laws of the country before making dangerous statements which is a dangerous to the country.
Whatever party will take over from UPND will swear first of all to uphold the constitution of Zambia first not what UN experts think or want.
If there were not there then, there is no harm in being there now to help strengthen our waning ‘ democracy’
It’s good that the experts are there now, the fact that they could not have been there in the last regime should not stop them from doing their job now.
There’s too much exaggeration on the misrule of the PF. To the extent for someone to allege that the PF were camped at the Intercity station just to molest people coming from the Southern Province. Yes they were bad but don’t add imagined incidents just to make it look that horrible.
THIS IS AFRICA
We will only listen to you when it comes to giving us money
And the Supreme leader Ayatollah Hakainde Hichilema is off to China…remember i said soon he will start his Globetrotting antics….and am sure from China he will head to New York for UN General Assembly for his annual pilgrimage
China the country he vowed to sever relations with. Wonders will never come to an end.
All that has been said by the author is very true, but I doubt the authenticity of the source. The UN cannot issue such a statement in that manner
Bwalya UPND
You are right.Please peruse the caveat provided at the end of the UN link in this article and find the wording:
“…..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…….”
This article is therefore, misleading,most probably by Emmanuel Mwamba.
click on the link or go to UN website search the story dont be lazy
MMMMMM….. i told pipo about this way back b4 they came into power. Anyone who is vindictive must not ascend any throne. I left this platform long time ago!!!
They should free Jackson Chama and Why Me. Young people that merely expressed opinions not held by the current regime. Free Jackson Chama, Why Me and other political prisoners. The country has become a Gestapo State. People are scared of that loud knock on their doors. They voted for democracy and now the have been enslaved by their Messiah HH!
Free Mwanza! Champion of free speech!
Lock up Mwiimbu! Lock up Kawana! Enemies of Democracy!!
Do not praise these INDEPENDENT expert panelists, because even if what they say comes to pass, tomorrow they will return and tell you that LGBTQ+ rights are also being infringed upon. There is no such thing as democracy anywhere in the world, because unlike beauty which lies in the eyes of the beholder, democracy lies in the eyes of the oppressor and those in power. In the words of Meg Greenfield, ‘Everybody’s for democracy in principle. It’s only in practice that the thing gives rise to stiff objections.’
Many laws need to be repealed as they are a source of all these issues. It is now for anyone to point a finger but the real concern should be the law that has many lacunas that needs to dealt with urgently. It is also funny how people forget that these same laws worked against the then opposition UPND, one would expect this govt to be different and change these undemocratic laws. But again we need to be careful with these experts because they see these issues from a very different perspective and comparing us to what we are not ready for.
When pf was in power ,why were they in a hurry to pass laws with many lacunas? Those laws worked for them and against the opposition at that time. Now that they are in opposition, they want the current ruling party to deal with the lacunas urgently.
Remember when we pass any laws it is important that we pass laws that will pass the test of time.
It is a lesson to all ruling parties in power that if they pass laws just to benefit themselves, they must remember that one day they will also be in opposition.
But France have just detained Durov, the owner of Telegram on free speech related charges. How ironic!
Lusaka Times Editor
The job of the independent rapporteurs is mainly, to receive complaints about human rights from back-biters, rumormongers, weaklings and such other crybabies like Emmanuel Mwamba,JJ and Iphone Kalaba then have a chat with the government about it
Leaders need to be treated in exemplary manner. The leaders are found in political parties, religious bodies, civil society, business. Academic and intellectuals need to be respected. Otherwise, the cycle of regime change will yield little in terms of democratic credential