By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

The Government of the Republic of Zambia received a joint communication dated 16th August, 2024, from the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special
Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.

On 29th August, 2024, a news release titled “Zambia must immediately halt
downward spiral of infringement on fundamental freedoms” was published by the Special Rapporteurs which has been circulating on various media platforms globally.

The Special Rapporteurs requested the Government of Zambia to respond to the allegations within sixty (60) days of receipt of the communication, after which a report would be prepared by the Special Rapporteurs to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The Government of Zambia has taken note of the concerns raised by the United Nations Iindependent Experts on the 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.

The Government reports that it is committed to the promotion and protection of
human rights in order to ensure that all persons can have full and equal enjoyment of the rights stipulated in the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia, and the
international human rights instruments to which Zambia is party to.

The Government has taken credible steps to identify, investigate, prosecute, and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuse