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Zambia - December 2022

President Hichilema abolishes death penalty and controversial defamation law

On 23 December President Hakainde Hichilema announced that he had signed into law legislation abolishing the death penalty and a controversial colonial-era law criminalizing defamation of the president. The defamation law had long been used by Zambian governments to silence their critics and rights groups have alleged that the practice had continued (and even increased) under Hichilema’s presidency. Analysts and activists have welcomed its repeal but cautioned that free expression continues to be threatened by other repressive legislation that remains in place. Zambia has maintained a moratorium on executions since 1997 but at the end of 2021 257 people were on death row.

Sources: Voice of America (1), Amnesty International (1), Voice of America (2), Amnesty International (2)

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Rights +1 Rights  (+1)
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Freedom of Expression