LONDON - Amnesty International released on 28 June a report outlining the level of political repression in Zambia ahead of the 12 August general elections. The report, titled “Ruling by Fear and Repression” details how the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly have come under increasing attack, particularly over the past five years, with opposition leaders and activists jailed, independent media outlets shut down, and at least five people killed by the police since 2016.
The claims made in the report are evidenced by a number of recent incidents: the signing of the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Bill into law in 23 March limits online freedom and infringes upon the personal data of citizens. Furthermore, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ)’s ban on political rallies on 04 June due to the recent surge of coronavirus cases is viewed as undemocratic by opposition parties, which challenged the ruling and lost. Moreover, the excessive use of force by police is evident from the killing of two unarmed people at an opposition UPND gathering in Lusaka on 22 December 2020, in support of UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema being summoned for questioning. Should incidents of political repression and the attack on freedom of expression continue to go unaddressed, the propensity for incidents of electoral violence both in the run-up to and following the upcoming ballot will be heightened.
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