The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has condemned the arrest and detention of four people, for staging a protest at ZESCO Headquarters yesterday to express their dissatisfaction with the management of the load-shedding schedule by the power utility company.
The Commission has therefore called on the Police Service to observe constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of expression and assembly when administering the Public Order Act to maintain law and order.
Commision Acting Spokesperson, Simon Mulumbi, told RCV News in a statement today, that the Commission regrets that the police moved swiftly to silence the peaceful protest by arresting and detaining the individuals involved instead of protecting them to express their grievances.
“Denying citizens their rights to peaceful assembly and expression is retrogressive in a democratic dispensation and undermines the socio-economic development of the country as citizens are not allowed to have a say in matters of governance and participate effectively in civic engagements”, said Mr. Mulumbi.
Mr. Mulumbi stated that such police action goes against the spirit of the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the constitution.
He has reiterated the Commission’s demand for Government to enact into law the Public Gatherings Bill in order to address concerns related to the right to freedom of assembly and expression.
By Margaret Mwanza
