HRC Concern At IG Directive For Unqualified Force

The Human Rights Commission has expressed its concern on a number of points relating to political and electoral violence ahead of the upcoming elections. 

Calling on political parties to direct supporters to lay down their weapons, the Commission said it was “particularly concerned that the directive by the Inspector General (IG) of Police to officers to use unqualified force to maintain law and order", which it claims "has potential to be misconstrued as an order for police brutality.” 

“It must be noted that in the past, the use of force by the police has resulted into grave violations of human rights such as the right to life through extra-judicial killings, the right to protection against cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment and the right to liberty through arbitrary arrests and detention of suspects,” the Commission warned. 

In the run up to the 2016 polls the tragic killing of UPND supporter Mapenzi Chibulo shocked the nation. The young mother was unarmed and fleeing the police when she was fatally wounded by live ammunition. More recently, prosecutor Nsama Nsama Chipyoka and civilian Joseph Kaunda were shot dead by police on 23 December 2020. 

In a statement released earlier this week Commission spokesperson Mweelwa Muleya advised police officers “to operate within the provisions of the law because, notwithstanding the order by the IG, they will be held individually accountable through the courts of law in the event that they commit a crime or violate human rights during the course of enforcing the law.” 

The Commission have, however, commended the Police High Command “for their visibility and strong public pronouncements against violence”, calling on them to ensure “firm and fair enforcement of the law in order to end impunity and protect human rights without any political discrimination.” 

Last month leading international human rights organisation Amnesty International released a damming report entitled ‘Ruling by fear and repression’, which accused President Lungu’s government of facilitating an “increasingly brutal crackdown on human rights” in the last five years. It claims that rising authoritarianism has been characterised by attacks on opposition parties, restrictions on freedom of expression and an increase in police and extrajudicial killings.