Government challenges UN account of post-election arrests

Government challenges UN account of post-election arrests

Government has pushed back against claims by the United Nations Special Rapporteur that people arrested during the just-ended elections are political detainees. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation says the claims contain legal errors, present contested allegations as facts and risk interfering with ongoing court proceedings.

Government has particularly challenged the description of treason as a capital offence in Zambia, noting that the death penalty was abolished in 2022. It has also called for corrections to claims surrounding alleged electoral flaws, intimidation, assaults, abductions and deaths, saying such matters require independent and comprehensive verification.

The Government further says the arrest of opposition members does not make them political detainees or place them above the law. It has reaffirmed its commitment to democracy, human rights and due process, while urging UN human rights mechanisms to ensure future assessments are based on accuracy, fairness and impartiality.