gathered in solidarity with Hakainde Hichilema in the capital, Lusaka. ZIMBABWE In June, the coroner found that the police were responsible for the unlawful killing of Republic of Zimbabwe 14-year-old Frank Mugala when he was on Head of state and government: Emmerson Dambudzo his way home from school in Lusaka in Mnangagwa February 2020. Although the court ordered action to be taken against the accused, no The human rights situation continued to one had been arrested at the end of the year. deteriorate, with the government RIGHT TO HEALTH demonstrating hostility to human rights defenders, protesters, political activists and The Zambia Medical Association disclosed journalists. They were harassed, arrested, that 16 doctors died of Covid-19 between prosecuted and subjected to prolonged January and March. Zambia faced difficulties pretrial detention; one activist was killed in receiving Covid-19 vaccines due to a allegedly by supporters of ZANU-PF, the global shortage, delaying the vaccination ruling party. The state weaponized Covid-19 programme which eventually began on 14 lockdowns to restrict political activity. April after the country received 228,000 Security forces carried out unlawful killings. doses. Frontline health workers were The Supreme Court quashed a 20-year prioritized for vaccination. The second batch prison sentence against two opposition of vaccines did not arrive until July during the supporters. Thousands were forcibly evicted pandemic’s third wave. from their land. Public hospitals remained DISCRIMINATION underfunded and poor healthcare infrastructure put women’s and girls’ health PERSONS WITH ALBINISM at risk. Many people were at risk of Persons with albinism continued to be becoming stateless. subjected to violent attacks and mutilation BACKGROUND due to superstitious misconceptions about albinism. In June, organized criminals posing The government enacted two constitutional as police officers attacked a home in the amendments which were heavily criticized for Senga district, mutilating a two-year-old child. undermining the judiciary’s independence. In In July, a nine-year-old boy from Chasefu April, parliament passed Constitution district had his finger chopped off by a Amendment 1 of 2017 allowing the president relative and another man. One of the men to appoint the Chief Justice, Deputy Chief fled and the other was arrested and detained Justice and High Court Judge President awaiting trial. without open selection processes. In May, it SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE passed Amendment 2 enabling the president to appoint sitting judges to vacancies in the According to a report by the Zambia Police higher courts, without open selection Service, there were 4,000 cases of gender- processes. based violence reported in the first half of the The cost of living increased and the year, of which 804 were sexual offences. Of government failed to meet its target to those, 590 were committed against girls and provide 1 million people with social protection there were 576 cases of “defilement”, 571 of and discontinued its Covid-19 social welfare which were against girls and five against package during the third wave from June to boys. August. In what appeared to be a politically FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION motivated case, a woman was raped on a bus going to Kafue by unidentified men who The authorities were increasingly hostile claimed to be punishing the PF government. towards people who expressed dissenting Amnesty International Report 2021/22 412