UN Demands Release of Malawi Human Rights Activists

UN has asked Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Malawi Police Service MPS to immediately release human rights activists Gift Trapence and Macdonald Sembereka.

According to spokesperson of MPS James Kadadzera the two were arrested because the misused money which they received from UNAIDS.

In a statement UNAIDS regional director in Johannesburg, South Africa said the case affecting MANGO has reached an amicable resolution and the funds will be repaid.

“The declaration made by UNAIDS staff members to the police on 5th July 2019 did not represent legal action by the organization,” says the Director

The statement was released as Trapence and Sembereka as the case was going to be heard on 10th July, 2019.

The court denied bail and adjourned the case to Friday, 12th July, 2019.

The two alongside Timothy Mtambo chairperson of Human Rights Defenders Coalition led nationwide demonstrations aimed at forcing chairperson of Malawi Electoral Commission Justice Dr Jane Ansah to resign for mishandling 21st May tripartite elections which were won by President Professor Peter Mutharika.

President of the main opposition Malawi Congress Party MCP Dr Lazarus Chakwera and UTM leader Dr Saulos Chilima participated in the demonstrations.

Chakwera and Chilima applied to High court to nullify the presidential elections.

The case was transferred to constitutional court and president Mutharika applied for its dismissal.

However, the constitutional court dismissed the application and adjourned the case to 29th July, 2019.