End oppression, says Human Rights Watch

…but the UPND is claiming that there are no political prisoners in Zambia, says allegations of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances excessive handling of citizens are unfounded, as the human rights global body demands unconditional release of all political detainees, demands an end to crackdown on opposition, abductions By NATION REPORTER THE Human Rights Watch (HRW) has branded the UPND government as an oppressive regime that has heightened its human rights abuses after the August 13 general elections with enforced disappearances, arbitrary and detention of several opposition political leaders, including Brian Mundubile, his vice Makebi Zulu on treason charges.But the UPND has trashed the Human Rights Watch report that has found Zambi guilty of oppressing its citizens, describing its findings as “trash” and accusing the international organisation of being influenced by opposition figures.The Human Rights Watch has demanded for the unconditional and immediate release of all political detainees accused of treason and has urged the Zambian government to stop arbitrary arrests and widespread human rights abuses. The HRW has demanded that the Zambian government should immediately halt the ongoing post-election crackdown, allow access to lawyers and provide medical care for those in detention, release everyone arbitrarily detained and ensure accountability for abuses by security forces.In its report following Zambia’s August 13 general elections, the HRW says it has since documented cases in which the military detained, assaulted and interrogated opposition supporters, lawyers and election monitors amid a wider crackdown on dissent.“Zambia’s government should break this dangerous cycle of repression,” Ms Budoo-Scholtz, the deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch said, calling for the release of those arbitrarily detained, access to lawyers and medical care, and accountability for abuses by security forces.The HRW stated that the Zambia Army was involved in the abduction, arbitrary detention and brutalisation of opposition members during and after the August 13 general elections.Among those still in detention are Tonse Pamodzi Alliance leader Brian Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu, who were arrested on August 27 and charged with treason and seditious practices.“Zambia’s government should break this dangerous cycle of repression,” said Ms Budoo-Scholtz. “The authorities should immediately halt the ongoing post-election crackdown, allow access to lawyers and provide medical care for those in detention, release everyone arbitrarily detained, and ensure accountability for abuses by security forces.”HRW said the charges arose from an August 14 Facebook Live broadcast in which the two allegedly stated that the opposition had won the election, an action the government said was intended to raise discontent among Zambians.The HRW, a global human rights watchdog with its headquarters in New York, the United States said it was concerned that treason and sedition charges were being used to suppress political opposition.It said it had documented 14 cases of apparent enforced disappearances and 61 cases of alleged abuse in custody, with victims, relatives and lawyers implicating military personnel in several incidents.“During the August 14 raid on Mr Mundubile’s Lusaka residence, seven men reportedly told their lawyers and relatives that soldiers beat them with rifle butts and sticks before blindfolding them and taking them away in military vehicles,” Ms Budoo-Scholtz said.But Getrude Imenda, the UPND deputy secretary general said the allegations of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and excessive handling of citizens by the government were unfounded.Reacting to the Human Rights Watch report that has branded the UPND an oppressive regime, Ms Imenda questioned the organisation’s credibility, alleging that it had relied on information from opposition figures who had fled the country.“Those human rights, I think they are just being influenced by the politicians. These ones who have fled the country because they’ve broken the law, they are listening to them. That’s not fair,” she said.Ms Imenda said President Hakande Hichilema had done a lot to uphold human rights, adding that those who broke the law must be held accountable regardless of their political affiliation.“Those who break the law must face the law regardless of whoever they are, whether they are politicians or not. If you break the law, the law will follow its course,” she said.She also accused people such as former ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba of influencing the report through what she described as propaganda, misinformation and disinformation.“Those ones based in the United States, that’s where Emmanuel Mwamba is. He’s influencing them with easy propaganda, misinformation, disinformation and so on. Those are the ones they want to listen to,” Ms Imenda said.She further argued that freedom of expression should not be used to justify defamation and insults, saying the rights of people who are offended must also be respected.Ends.

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