Govt Demands UN Special Rapporteur Correct Factual Errors on Zambia

Government has also contrasted the Special Rapporteur’s statement with the approach taken by the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, who was present in Zambia and engaged directly with the parties during the events in question.

According to Government, the Special Envoy facilitated the handover of two leaders to the Church and later to security agencies on the basis of assurances that their fundamental rights would be respected through due process.

The Government further argues that the Special Rapporteur went beyond the specific mandate on freedom of peaceful assembly and association by making sweeping assertions regarding alleged electoral flaws, intimidation, assaults, abductions and deaths without, it says, sufficient independent verification.

It is now calling on the Special Rapporteur and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to publicly correct the reference to treason as a capital offence and to clearly distinguish between allegations and verified facts in future communications.

Government says Zambia remains committed to constitutional democracy, political pluralism, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, the rule of law and constructive cooperation with the United Nations human rights system.