Human rights in Zambia are addressed in Zambia's constitution. However, the Zambia 2012 Human Rights Report of the United States Department of State (one of the United States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices) noted that in general, the government's human rights record remained poor. The 2021 version of this report noted improvements in many areas.
Serious abuses
The Zambia 2012 Human Rights Report of the US State Department noted the following serious human rights abuses:"Zambia 2012 Human Rights Report", Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State, 22 March 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2014. abuses by security forces, including unlawful killings, torture, and beatings; life-threatening prison conditions; restrictions on freedom of speech, assembly, and association; media freedom, noting levels of intolerance and harassment of journalists had increased in the year 2016 and suspensions of Itezhi-Tezhi radio station and MuviTV . arbitrary arrest and prolonged pretrial detention; arbitrary interference with privacy; government corruption; violence and discrimination against women, child abuse, and trafficking in persons; discrimination against persons with disabilities and based on sexual orientation; restrictions on labor rights, forced labor, and child labor; and that the government generally did not take steps to prosecute or punish officials who committed abuses, allowing impunity to remain a problem; unlawful arrests and application of wrong charges on wrong cases; e.g. the treason case of Hakainde Hichilema in 2017; public access to information: The law does not provide for public access to government information; corruption and lack of transparency in government; arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy, family, home, or correspondence.
Freedom in the World ratings
The following are Zambia's ratings since 1972 in the Freedom in the World reports, published annually by Freedom House (1 is best, 7 is worst).
YearPolitical RightsCivil LibertiesStatusPresident 197255Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 197355Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 197454Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 197555Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 197655Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 197755Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 197855Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 197955Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 198055Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 198156Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 198256Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 198356Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 198455Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 198555Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 198655Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 198755Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 198865Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 198965Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 199065Partly FreeKenneth Kaunda 199123FreeFrederick Chiluba 199223FreeFrederick Chiluba 199334Partly FreeFrederick Chiluba 199434Partly FreeFrederick Chiluba 199534Partly FreeFrederick Chiluba 199654Partly FreeFrederick Chiluba 199754Partly FreeFrederick Chiluba 199854Partly FreeFrederick Chiluba 199954Partly FreeFrederick Chiluba 200054Partly FreeFrederick Chiluba 200154Partly FreeFrederick Chiluba 200244Partly FreeLevy Mwanawasa 200344Partly FreeLevy Mwanawasa 200444Partly FreeLevy Mwanawasa 200544Partly FreeLevy Mwanawasa 200634Partly FreeLevy Mwanawasa 200734Partly FreeLevy Mwanawasa 200833Partly FreeRupiah Banda 200934Partly FreeRupiah Banda 201034Partly FreeRupiah Banda 201134Partly FreeMichael Sata 2012"Zambia" , Freedom in the World 2013, Freedom House. Retrieved 22 January 2014.34Partly FreeMichael Sata 201334Partly FreeMichael Sata 201434Partly FreeGuy Scott 201534Partly FreeEdgar Lungu 201644Partly FreeEdgar Lungu 201744Partly FreeEdgar Lungu 201844Partly FreeEdgar Lungu 201944Partly FreeEdgar Lungu 202044Partly FreeEdgar Lungu 202144Partly FreeHakainde Hichilema 202244Partly FreeHakainde Hichilema
Freedom of the press
Freedoms of expression and of the press are constitutionally guaranteed in Zambia, but the government frequently restricts these rights in practice. Although the ruling Patriotic Front has pledged to free state-owned media—consisting of the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) and the widely circulated Zambia Daily Mail and Times of Zambia—from government editorial control, these outlets have generally continued to report along pro-government lines. Many journalists reportedly practice self-censorship since most government newspapers do have prepublication review. The ZNBC dominates the broadcast media, though several private stations have the capacity to reach large portions of the population.
The rights group Freedom House, which publishes annual country reports on press freedom status, has ranked Zambia's press as “Not Free” even in 2016.
See also
Human trafficking in Zambia Internet censorship and surveillance in Zambia LGBT rights in Zambia Bibliography of the history of Zambia
Notes 1.As of January 1.
References
External links Human Rights in the Republic of Zambia , Amnesty International. Freedom in the World 2013 Booklet, Freedom House.