U.N. rights chief is concerned about arrest of opposition figures in Zambia's election

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The United Nations human rights chief said Wednesday he is concerned over the arrest of opposition officials in connection with last week’s troubled election in Zambia.

Zambian law enforcement agents raided a property on election night last Thursday where the country’s main opposition leader was present and there was an exchange of gunfire, according to the government.

It said “high-grade military weapons” were found there, and 11 opposition officials were arrested for posing a threat to state security.

Main opposition leader Brian Mundubile denied the allegations and said the opposition officials were unarmed and shot at. He said he is currently “under protection” due to safety concerns, without giving more details on his whereabouts.

President Hakainde Hichilema on Tuesday was declared the winner of the election for a second five-year term. Mundubile won around 38% of the vote, according to official results, but he has rejected the results while claiming irregularities and said his opposition alliance will challenge them in court.

U.N. rights chief Volker Turk urged Zambian authorities to stop arresting people arbitrarily and bring anyone detained to court promptly to answer any charges. All arrests “must be fully consistent with international human rights standards, as well as Zambian domestic law,” Turk said in a statement.

The Zambian government has not said where the arrested officials are being held or what charges they will face. Mundubile also alleged that another opposition figure who is a former minister was shot during the raid and is now missing.

The election period was unusually tense in the copper-rich southern African nation, which has held largely peaceful votes since returning to multiparty democracy in 1991.

Vote counting was suspended for hours on Friday, the day after the vote, with the electoral commission citing violence against officials at some polling stations and the theft of ballot papers. The commission didn’t say who was responsible.

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