suppress the human rights of perceived 1. Yemen: Released and Exiled: Torture, Unfair Trials and Forcible Exile political opponents. In April, PF supporters of Yemenis under Huthi Rule (Index: MDE 31/3907/2021), 27 May publicly called for the arrest of Sishuwa 2. “Yemen: Actress arbitrarily detained at risk of forced ‘virginity Sishuwa, a University of Zambia academic, testing’”, 7 May on sedition charges. The calls came after he 3. “Yemen: Saudi Arabia forces an end to mandate of only international published an article in online newspaper mechanism to investigate HR abuses”, 7 October News Diggers about the possibility of public unrest during the August elections. Later that ZAMBIA month, the university announced erroneously that he was not one of their employees. Republic of Zambia The state weaponized criminal defamation Head of state and government: Hakainde Hichilema laws to intimidate and silence government (replaced Edgar Chagwa Lungu in August) critics. In January, brothers Victor and Nicholas Sankisa from the Western Province Inter-party tensions escalated in the run-up were arrested for allegedly using insulting to the elections; party supporters subjected language against the president. The same their opponents to extreme violence and charges were brought against Chilufya Tayali, there were political killings. Police used live a leader of the Economic and Equity Party, in ammunition against pre-election protesters. May after he posted a video accusing the One police officer went on trial in president of encouraging turmoil ahead of the connection with the 2020 killing of two elections. unarmed protesters, but many others Fred Manyaa and Steven Phiri were continued to enjoy impunity. The authorities sentenced in April to a three and a one-year weaponized laws and state institutions to prison sentence, respectively, with hard restrict human rights and intimidate critics. labour, for insulting then President Lungu. Medical professionals were harassed and Their convictions related to incidents in prosecuted for protesting against poor March 2018 and March 2019, respectively. working conditions. Persons with albinism In March, the president enacted the Cyber suffered violent attacks. Girls were at Crimes and Cyber Security Act. It was widely particular risk of widespread gender-based criticized for containing provisions which may violence. be used to target government critics, BACKGROUND suppressing the right to freedom of expression, and allowing the policing of The United Party for National Development cyberspace. In April, five civil society (UPND), the main opposition party, defeated organizations petitioned the Constitutional the Patriotic Front (PF) in the 12 August Court, arguing that the law violated the general elections, breaking the PF’s 10-year human rights guaranteed under the rule. constitution. According to the Integrated Food Security The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Phase Classification, around 1.18 million Information and Broadcasting Services people faced acute food insecurity in the threatened to close down the internet ahead third quarter of the year. By September, of polling day. On election day, there was a Zambia’s external debt was US$12.91 billion. partial shutdown and social media apps like Inflation rocketed and, after the elections, the Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp Zambian kwacha appreciated. were disrupted. Civil society organizations FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION challenged the move and the high court ordered the restoration of internet services on POLITICAL OPPONENTS 13 August. The authorities continued to crack down on the right to freedom of expression and Amnesty International Report 2021/22 410