Human Rights Watch urged Zambia to stop its post-election crackdown on critics, free people it says were arbitrarily detained and pursue accountability for alleged security force abuses, Al Jazeera reported Monday.
Al Jazeera reported the HRW report was issued Nov. 1. The group said police and military personnel secretly removed people, detained them without legal grounds, beat them and threatened them around the August 2026 election. HRW said those affected included government critics, people working in journalism or law, and members or supporters of opposition parties. It said pressure on civic and political groups had limited their work, particularly for people who voiced dissent.
Hakainde Hichilema began a second presidential term after winning the August vote, Al Jazeera reported, though critics alleged vote rigging. His rival Brian Mundubile remained in custody during the Lusaka swearing-in ceremony, facing a treason accusation after saying the opposition had won, the outlet said.
Police raided Mundubile’s home on Aug. 14, a day after Zambians voted on Aug. 13, Al Jazeera reported. Mutotwe Kafwaya, a former cabinet member, was shot and killed in the operation, according to the outlet. Human Rights Watch called for an independent inquiry into his death. Al Jazeera also reported that roughly a dozen opposition figures were arrested after disputing the result.
Authorities shut the courts two weeks after the election, Al Jazeera reported. Police characterized the closure as an “intelligence-led and preventive measure” but disclosed no details. Human Rights Watch said the courts’ closure kept opposition groups from filing challenges to the vote.
Ashwanee Budoo-Scholtz, Human Rights Watch’s deputy Africa director, called on the government to stop the crackdown, ensure detainees can reach lawyers and obtain medical care, free those held arbitrarily and hold security forces accountable for abuses. She urged Zambia to “break this dangerous cycle of repression.”
