Families of critics of HH harassed -- report

...as Human Rights Watch in its latest report alleges that relatives of government critics were threatened as authorities sought to silence criticism of President Hichilema By NATION REPORTER HUMAN Rights Watch (HRW) says Zambia's authorities allegedly harassed and threatened family members of government critics living abroad in an apparent effort to silence criticism of President Hakainde Hichilema's regime. In a report on the post-election crackdown, the rights organisation documented two cases involving Zambia-based relatives of critics in the diaspora. In one case, police allegedly detained two siblings of a prominent government critic based abroad and harassed their 76-year-old father, demanding that the critic remove material from social media. One of the siblings was allegedly detained during a 03 hours raid on their home, where armed police demanded access to phones and a laptop. A source told Human Rights Watch that one officer "had a gun and said: 'This is a high security operation.'" The officers allegedly said the political commentary of the sibling abroad was "a problem" and demanded that specific videos be removed as a condition for release. One of the videos reportedly called for an independent investigation into the August 14 killing of former Transport and Communications Minister Mutotwe Kafwaya during a military operation at the home of opposition leader Brian Mundubile in Lusaka. In another case, a government critic based in the United States, who has investments in Zambia, said three men identifying themselves as intelligence officers from the Office of the President approached her relatives shortly after the August 13 election. The men allegedly threatened to "squeeze" her businesses if she continued criticising President Hichilema's administration on social media. "They told my sister, a civil servant, that she risked losing her job if I did not tone down my criticism," the critic said. Human Rights Watch also said seven people, including lawyers and a journalist, told it they had fled their homes or gone into hiding after receiving warnings that they were wanted by security agencies. A lawyer involved in an election petition said he went into hiding on August 15 after security agents allegedly went to his home and office. "There was no reason for the security agents to chase me in that manner," he said. Opposition figure Mulenga Kapwepwe said she also went into hiding after being alerted that she was on a "wanted list." A journalist investigating the raid on Mr Mundubile's home said he fled Zambia after receiving messages warning: "Stop what you are doing. We are coming after you." Human Rights Watch said the cases illustrated growing fears among critics, lawyers and journalists following the disputed election.

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