Zambian authorities engaged in a violent crackdown against opposition parties, members, and critics in the period surrounding August’s general election, according to a Human Rights Watch report published Monday. The report alleges that police and military personnel forcibly disappeared, arbitrarily detained, beat, and threatened opposition figures, lawyers, journalists, and government critics.
The post-election atmosphere was characterized by intimidation, harassment, and repression, which Human Rights Watch stated had a "chilling effect on civic and political organizations, particularly on dissenting voices." The organization documented 14 cases of apparent enforced disappearances involving opposition members and supporters. Additionally, 61 detainees, their lawyers, or relatives reported alleged beatings or other violent abuse during arrest and detention.
Ashwanee Budoo-Scholtz, the rights group’s deputy Africa director, urged Zambian authorities to immediately cease the crackdown, grant detainees access to lawyers and medical care, release those arbitrarily detained, and ensure accountability for abuses committed by security forces. Several opposition leaders, including presidential candidate Brian Mundubile, remain in detention and are slated to appear in court this week.
Human Rights Watch noted that in many instances, detainees were not charged with a crime, or the charges appeared to be politically motivated. The government has not disclosed the total number of arrests or the specific charges, raising concerns that the number of detained individuals may be higher than publicly known.
In August, Amnesty International had previously warned of intensified restrictions on rights to peaceful assembly and association in Zambia due to hastily enacted laws that curtailed public participation ahead of the election. The United Nations human rights chief also raised concerns regarding the arrests of opposition officials a week after the vote.