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The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) is deeply concerned by reports and widely circulating video footage regarding the forceful removal of Amb. Martha Lungu Mwitumwa, a former Zambian diplomat, and Hannah Katontoka, a member of the Tonse-Pamodzi Alliance media team, from the streets of Lusaka. We are concerned that neither woman’s whereabouts, wellbeing, or legal status have been transparently communicated to their families or the public.
NGOCC demands that the rule of law be strictly observed. If any person is suspected of wrongdoing, due process must be followed. Thus, suspects regardless of political affiliation, must be informed of the charges against them, granted access to legal counsel, and brought before a court of law without delay. There is no justification for subjecting unarmed women to forceful, military-style removal. All suspects, regardless of political affiliation, must be treated equally before the law.
We are also aware of, and concerned about, similar reports of the abduction or forceful removal of other political opponents by state agents in recent days. Such actions, if confirmed, threaten the credibility of the electoral environment and the safety of all political actors, particularly women in public and political life.
We call on the relevant authorities to urgently clarify the circumstances, whereabouts, and legal status of Amb. Lungu Mwitumwa and Ms. Katontoka, and to ensure their fundamental human rights are fully protected.
ISSUED
For/NGOCC
Ms. Beauty Katebe
NGOCC BOARD CHAIRPERSON
