Mucheleka Deserves Proper Treatment as a Suspect

30.09.2020

The Human Rights standard practice for the police outlines the way they must conduct themselves as far as treatment of suspects awaiting trial is concerned.

The United Party for National Development (UPND) is therefore disturbed at video that emerged this morning where an overzealous police officer is flogging UPND Deputy Secretary General for Politics, Patrick Mucheleka as he and his co-accused Elias Mubanga  and Samuel Ngwira appeared at Kasama Magistrates Court for trial.

The UPND has also noted with regret how overzealous police officers have taken to the habitual mistreatment of suspects and their sympathizers each time those appearing at court even when such trials were in open court.

To treat Mucheleka like a common criminal by handcuffing him to Mr Mubanga is the gravest of inhuman treatment that can be accorded to a political leader of his calibre.

As a party that is a member of the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (UNCAT) which provides for strict adherence to international rules and standards for policing and the Standard Minimum Rules for Treatment of Suspects, we expected the police to handle Mr Mucheleka and his co-accused with professionalism.

Therefore, as a suspect, the police should have desisted from any harsh, cruel and degrading treatment, the reason we have been calling for the thorough retraining of law enforcement officers so that the police can be held accountable to Zambians for the gross human rights violations they continue to commit.

PF cadres involved in criminal cases have been handled with so much compassion despite the gravity of the cases involved.

watch video —KQPM2326

UPND MEDIA TEAM