Zambia’s cancellation of six critics’ passports on national security grounds raises human rights concerns, Amnesty International says

Amnesty International on Friday accused Zambian authorities of using administrative powers to silence government critics after the passports of six opposition figures, academics and commentators were cancelled on “national security” grounds. The cancellations immediately rendered the documents invalid for travel and identification, while the government has not publicly detailed the specific security allegations against each affected person. Government Gazette Notice No. 1421 of 2026 cancelled passports belonging to former ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba, academic Sishuwa Sishuwa, former lawmakers Binwell Mpundu and Emmanuel Jay Banda, former presidential aide Kaizer Zulu and blogger Lillian Mutambo. This made the documents no longer valid for travel or identification and needed to be surrendered immediately. The government has publicly justified this measure by invoking national security grounds but has not specified the specific security concerns behind the cancellations. The dispute comes amid broader concerns over restrictions on political opposition in Zambia. Amnesty documented arrests and intimidation of opposition members, journalists and activists surrounding the 2026 elections, including the detention of opposition politician George Chisanga and the fatal shooting of former minister Mutotwe Kafwaya during an August security operation. Zambia’s Passports Act allows cancellation on specified grounds, including circumstances that could justify refusing a passport, loss of citizenship, fraud, certain criminal conduct and death. Section 8 also requires the Chief Passport Officer to notify an affected person of the reasons for cancellation within 14 days. The Constitution separately protects freedom of movement under Article 22, including the right to leave and return to Zambia, although restrictions may be imposed for purposes including defence, public safety and public order where it is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society. Zambian courts have previously limited executive discretion over passports. In Nyirongo v Attorney-General, the Supreme Court held in 1991 that a citizen’s constitutional right to travel includes a right to a passport, subject to lawful restrictions, and ordered the return or replacement of a passport where the government failed to establish a sufficient legal basis for withdrawing it. More recently, the High Court ruled in Andrew Kamanga v Attorney General that confiscating a passport and requiring official authorization to travel unlawfully restricted freedom of movement. Amnesty additionally argued that the cancellations breach Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which protects the right to leave any country subject to limited lawful restrictions. The organization called on Zambia to reverse the cancellations, restore the passports and provide remedies to those affected. The affected individuals may now challenge the measures through Zambia’s courts, where authorities could be required to demonstrate both a statutory basis for the cancellations and whether the restrictions satisfy constitutional requirements governing national-security limitations.