Take action! Detained opposition leader accused of treason (Zambia)
Leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND), Mr Hakainde Hichilema was arrested on 10 April. He has been charged with treason over allegations of obstructing the Presidential motorcade as it was on the way to a traditional ceremony held in the Western Province on 8 April. Treason is a non-bail able offense punishable by death in Zambia. Hakainde Hichilema is being detained at Lilayi Police Camp, a police training school outside Lusaka.
Heavily armed police, on Monday 10 April, raided the house of UPND president, Hakainde Hichilema in Lusaka, Zambia. Police switched off power at the house, blocked access to the main roads, broke the doors and fired teargas into the house. Hakainde Hichiliema and his family were in the house at the time of the raid. His wife who is asthmatic fainted twice during the raid.
Hakainde Hichilema was then taken to Lilayi Police Camp, a police training school outside Lusaka, where he is being detained accused of treason. The authorities allege that on 8 April, Hakainde Hichilema who was on his way to the Mongu celebration in Western Province accompanied by a convoy of over 60 vehicles, blocked President Edgar Lungu’s motorcade. They say that Hakainde Hichilema’s vehicle did not give way for the President’s motorcade. However, video evidence shows that the two convoys each stuck to one side of the road with none blocking the road.
Hakainde Hichilema was on 12 April charged with treason, disobedience to lawful orders, disobeying statutory duty and using insulting language under the Penal Code. Treason is a non-bail able offence in Zambia with a minimum jail term of 15 years and maximum sentence punishable by death.
Please write immediately in English or your own language:
Calling on Zambian Authorities to release Hakainde Hichilema immediately and unconditionally;
Urging them to end all forms of harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrests and unlawful detention against the political opposition in particular members of the UPND, including through misuse of the criminal justice system;
Urging them to ensure that Hakainde Hichilema or his workers are not subjected to torture and other ill treatmemt pending his release.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 26 MAY 2017 TO:
The President of Republic of Zambia
His Excellency Edgar Chagwa Lungu
Office of the President
Plot 1 Independence Avenue
10101
P.O. Box 50212
Lusaka
Zambia
Email: [email protected]
Salutation: Your Excellency
Inspector General of Police
Kakoma Kanganja
Zambia Police Service Headquarters
P.O. Box 50103
Lusaka
Zambia
Salutation: Dear Inspector General
And copies to:
The Chairperson Zambia Human Rights Commission
Florence Chibwesha
Head Office
Independence Avenue
P.O.Box 33812
Lusaka
Fax: 260 211 252 342
Email: [email protected]
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. HIS EXCELLENCY MR PAUL WILLIAM LUMBI, High Commission for the Republic of Zambia, Zambia House, 2 Palace Gate W8 5NG, 020 7589 6655, Fax 020 7581 1353, [email protected], www.zhcl.org.uk
Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Hakainde Hichilema is the president of the main opposition political party in Zambia, the United Party for National Development (UPND). Hakainde Hichilema contested against President Edgar Chagwa Lungu in the presidential elections held on 11 August 2016, where he was narrowly defeated. Following the defeat, UPND challenged the electoral results and their petition was thrown out by the Constitutional Court, without being heard by three Constitutional Court judges who took the decision without involving two other Constitutional Court judges.
Hakainde Hichilema was arrested alongside UPND vice-president Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba in Luanshya on 6 October 2016 while on their way to visit their supporters in prison. Some members of the party have been in custody since August 2016. Hakainde Hichilema has always availed himself to the police whenever they have wanted. UPND members and activists have been subjected to harassment and arbitrary arrests in the past.
UA: 90/17 Index: AFR 63/6061/2017 Issue Date: 14 April 2017
Download PDF
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Please let us know if you have taken action on this case. You can either include us - [email protected] - in the email you send to the authorities or send us a seperate email if you've sent your appeal by post or fax. Tell us any way you like! All we need to know if that you've sent an appeal and the UA number - which is at the top of each email. Thank you.
We are now on twitter, follow us for information on Urgent Action cases: @AmnestyUKUrgent
You can view all UAs on our website here.
To download your copy of the Urgent Action Participation Guide that will tell you everything you need to know about the Network click here.
To see latest updates, blogs and our quarterly news round up on Urgent Actions please visit our Urgent Action blog here.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Voting for opposition 💩 is a total waste of time coz Zambians 🇿🇲💚 have already re-elected our Lord & Savior HH 🙏🏽 for a 2nd term in office coz he has delivered: free education 📚 debt restructuring 🪙 reopened mines 🏗️ given youths jobs 👮🏽♀️🪖 created peace by freeing us from violent PF cadres 👿 ended tribalism ✌🏽 x given us a stronger economy 🤑
UPND wants to turn Zambia into a banana republic - Sampa
By NATION REPORTER
MILES Sampa, the Matero Member of Parliament has charged that the UPND government is determined to convert Zambia into a banana republic by its continued undemocratic tendencies and total disregard of the rule of law in governing the country.
Mr Sampa says all the nine Patriotic Front (PF) law makers who had been expelled had been given amnesty and that the matter had been…
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
…reveal the complaints have reached a crescendo, and it was imperative that President Hichilema addressed them promptly, as Cornelius Mweetwa says he was not privy to the complaints raised by the party youths.
By NATION REPORTER
IN an unprecedented move, Castrol Kafweta, deputy media director for the UPND national youth wing, has written to President Hakainde Hichilema telling him that party…
By SHARON ZULU and MERVIS MUSONDA
THE ruling UPND has slammed the Inspector General of Police Graphael Musamba for failing to protect citizens from suspected UPND cadres’ thuggery.
Party deputy media director Cheelo Katambo said, the duty of Mr Musamba is to protect all citizens as provided by the constitution.
“The IG could be better, and the Journalist should have asked more what the IG…
By NATION REPORTER
ZAMBIA is facing the worst form of corruption ever under the UPND government as the country is being looted, with the institution that is meant to fight against the scourge having joined in the participation of the plundering, Brebner Changala has said.
Mr Changala, a civil and political activist says there is grand corruption in the UPND under the watch of President Hakainde…