UN Rights Chief's August 19 Warning Against Arbitrary Arrests Comes as Police Vow to Act "Firmly" on Inauguration Eve

LUSAKA, 31 August 2026. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk issued a public statement on August 19 urging Zambian authorities to "stop arresting people arbitrarily and to uphold fully the due process rights of all those detained" following the August 13 general election. Türk said any arrests "must be fully consistent with international human rights standards, as well as Zambian domestic law." He set out specific conditions: detainees must be told the reasons for their arrest immediately, informed promptly of any charges, given access to legal representation, allowed to communicate with their families, treated humanely in custody, brought before a court promptly, and given access to remedies if their rights are violated. The statement followed the arrest of 11 people during a security operation at Brian Mundubile's Kabulonga residence on August 14, in which former Transport Minister Mutotwe Kafwaya was shot and killed. Zambia's own Human Rights Commission had separately documented concerns about detention practices exceeding legal timeframes and restricted access to lawyers and family members. Since Türk's statement, the case has grown rather than narrowed. On August 30, police confirmed that Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu had been formally charged with treason, and that the total number of people facing treason-related charges in connection with the raid had risen to 18, including former special forces operatives and a retired police officer. Police spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi said "all persons in custody are given their full rights, which include interacting with relatives and having access to legal counsel," while defence lawyer Milner Katolo said the matter needed to be taken to court within 48 hours in line with constitutional detention requirements. A day earlier, on August 29, Inspector General Graphel Musamba said police were on high alert ahead of Tuesday's inauguration, citing intelligence about groups planning "unlawful proc