MONDAY, 8.00AM:
The chairwoman of Zambia’s human rights commission, Justice Lombe Chibesakunda, visited political detainees on Sunday and reported that two of the 33 suspects complained of torture, and of being deprived of food. She also criticised the government for mixing hard-core criminals with juveniles in a single overcrowded cell.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwean goverment has denied weekend reports that Zambia’s two major opposition leaders, Kenneth Kaunda and Roger Chongwe, have sought asylum in Zimbabwe. Both men passed through Zimbabwe in transit to Europe.
FRIDAY, 2.20PM:
AMNESTY International reports that at least 34 Zambian detainees held in connection with last week’s coup have been tortured. Dean Mung’omba, detained leader of the Zambia Democratic Congress (ZDC), appeared in court briefly after an urgent application by his lawyers, and appeared to have bruises, cuts and cigarette burns on his legs, hands, lower eyelid and the backs of his hand. “The attempted coup cannot be used as an excuse to inflict this cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment,” Amnesty said. The court ordered an investigation into the alleged torture allegation by Mung’omba and has set a return date of November 12 for the state to explain why he is being held.