The Human Rights Commission (HRC) says it is confident that Zambia would soon become a torture free society because of the vigorous advocacy and campaign skills embarked by the Commission.
Human Rights Commission Director Florence Chibwesha reiterated the Commission’s commitment to combating torture by highlighting reported cases of torture and advocating for the criminalisation of torture in Zambia
Ms Chibwesha says achieving that requires concerted efforts in curbing the vice.
Ms Chibwesha says disclosed that the Commission has partnered with Amnesty International to conduct a capacity building workshop for its staff on torture and advocacy campaign to criminalise torture in Zambia.
She was speaking when she opened a five-day workshop in Lusaka yesterday.
She said the Commission personnel would acquire skills from Amnesty International and strengthen the recommendations arising from its inspections and investigations findings.
“The Commission is advocating for a torture free society and is confident that the advocacy and campaign skills which the staff will acquire from Amnesty International will further strengthen the recommendations arising from its inspections and investigations findings,” Ms Chibwesha said.
She said Zambia is a member to the Convention Against Torture (CAT) and she has also committed herself to criminalising torture and bring the practice to an end.
HRC and Amnesty International are holding a one-week training workshop from 13 to 17 July 2015 for 30 Commission staff to map out advocacy campaign strategy for the criminalisation of torture in the country.
And speaking at the same function, Amnesty International Regional Director, Deprose Muchena expressed happiness to collaborate with the Commission on advocacy work against torture in Zambia.
Mr. Muchena said members of the general public are important in bringing about transformation as society fights forms of torture.
He added that political will, the role of the HRC and the involvement of all stakeholders and the general public are critical elements in the process to reduce cases of torture and moving to criminalisation of torture.
The workshop has attracted experts from the Amnesty International from Southern Africa and United Kingdom is providing the technical support and sharing the best practices in combating and campaigning for the criminalisation of torture with support from United Nations Development Programme.
The workshop also seeks at generating more ways of creating synergies with Civil Society Organisations and other players in the fight against torture in implementing joint activities that would help increase human rights education and raise public awareness to realise a Zambia torture free society.
Zambian tortures begins at home. Children are mostly tortured by their own parents before the grow up so the cycle continues, when those kids grow up.
Has HRC ever been to any Zambian police FORCE station?
It looks like HRC is living in its own galaxy where security services are above law.
In Zambia, Teachers torture school children, mothers torture their offsprings, husbands torturing wives, police torture anyone in their custody, Medical stuff torture vulnerable patients, grandchild torture their grandparents, CCTV must be installed in all hospitals, schools and prison cells for the abuse to be exposed .
There is more to torture than this parochial view of your commission. Unmarked roads, no warning signs for humps and other potentially dangerous obstacles. No consistent cycle and pedestrian paths, poor public transport support infrastructure – load shedding with lies as reasons, incompetent professionals and policy makers committing their ineptitude to prayer only… Let me catch my breath. That is the torture you need to deal with!
With PF in power? Good luck with that!!