Law Association condemns increased police brutality on perceived members of opposition

The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has condemned increased Police brutality against persons believed to be members of opposition political parties.

LAZ president, Lungisani Zulu, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Lusaka expressed deep concern and strongly condemned increased incidents of brutality attributed to the Zambia Police Service on the opposition.

Zulu said the Association finds this trend unfortunate and are concerned that the same has the potential of eroding democratic gains the country continues to make.

“We are aware that some of the reported incidents of police brutality include the arrest of Patriotic Front (PF) presidential hopeful Emmanuel Mwamba, PF Members Rizwan Patel as well Given Phiri, a co-accused person with former State House Special Assistant for Politics Dr. Christopher Zumani Zimba,” he said.

Zulu said LAZ is saddened by the stance taken by the Inspector-General of Police who is reported as ‘urging the opposition to tone down and cooperate with his officers or else the police will use minimum force’.

He said such a stance from the Police Command does little to redress the problem of police brutality by officers and in any event, is not in consonance with modern trend of professional policing of citizens.
“There is no law which gives the police service power to brutalize citizens in the name of ‘minimum force’ during arrests.

It is also not the function of the police to control the ‘toning down of citizens ‘, who have the right to freely express their views in line with their constitutionally protected freedoms,” Zulu said.

He said in a democratic society anchored on rule of law, every person must be treated fairly and in accord with the law, without regard to their political affiliation.

Zulu reminded the Police Command that Article 15 of the Republican Constitution is very clear when it provides that no person shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading punishment or other like treatment.

He called on the Police Command to change its stance and take immediate remedial action to redress this worrying and growing trend of police brutality.

“This press release has been issued on a matter touching on rule of law and rights and liberties of citizens in furtherance of the LAZ’s mandate under Section 4 of the Law Association of Zambia Act, Chapter 31 of the Laws of Zambia,” Zulu said.

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