The duo were charged under Zambia's Witchcraft Act, which prohibits the possession of charms, professing knowledge of witchcraft, and cruelty to wild animals.
The Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfaW) has condemned the Zambian police arrest of two men for allegedly attempting to bewitch President Hakainde Hichilema.
The duo were charged under Zambia's Witchcraft Act, which prohibits the possession of charms, professing knowledge of witchcraft, and cruelty to wild animals.
SaharaReporters gathered that the police discovered the two men in possession of various charms, including a live chameleon, which is believed to have been used in their alleged attempt to harm the president.
Human rights activist Leo Igwe, founder of Advocacy for Alleged Witches, in a statement released on Sunday, condemned the arrest, calling it a sign of the Zambian government losing its focus.
Igwe said the government should focus on addressing real issues affecting the country instead of criminalizing unfounded suspicions.
He said witchcraft accusations have no place in modern politics as there is no evidence for these beliefs and practices
The statement read, "The Advocacy for Alleged Witches is concerned over the reported arrest of two men accused of being 'witchdoctors' in Zambia. The arrest underscores the potency of witchcraft fears and the connection between occult anxieties and the country's politics.
"These individuals were accused of trying to bewitch the Zambian president, Hakainde Hichilema. The police claimed that they had charms. They planned to use the charms to harm the president. The report says the two persons have been charged under Zambia's Witchcraft Act.”
Igwe explained that the Act criminalizes "possession of charms", "professing knowledge of witchcraft", and "cruelty to wild animals". The police found the two with assorted charms, including a live chameleon.
"This development is utterly embarrassing and shows that the Zambian government is slowly losing its focus and bearing.
He noted that the country has many socio-economic challenges.
"Suspicion of bewitchment or possession of charms should be the least of its worries at this time. There should be no place for witchcraft and possession of charms in modern politics because there is no evidence for these beliefs and practices,” Igwe said.
According to Igwe, "Zambian authorities should not weaponize the Witchcraft Act or use it to justify this incident. Zambian law does not recognize witchcraft.”
"Zambia's Witchcraft Act criminalizes naming or imputing witchcraft. It prohibits accusing or threatening to accuse any person of being a witch or a wizard. In this case, it is the police who are breaking the law.
"Otherwise, how did they know the two individuals were 'witchdoctors'? Did these persons identify as witch doctors? If not, the police are liable because they named and imputed witchcraft and have to prove that these individuals have witch-doctoring powers," he stated.
The human rights activist said that the police claimed to have charged these individuals for possessing "assorted charms", including a chameleon.
"The police in Zambia have questions to answer: What are charms? How did they know that what was in their possession were charms, not pets? Is a chameleon a form of charm? What makes possession of a chameleon possession of a charm? When and how does a chameleon become a charm? The police need to answer these questions and more before one takes them seriously.
Igwe said, "In addition, the police claimed that the duo wanted to bewitch the president. What does that mean? How did they know? Are the police not contravening a provision under the Witchcraft Act by professing knowledge of witchcraft?
"Can one harm another person using a chameleon? They claimed that the two persons wanted to use the charms in their possession, including the chameleon to harm the president. How did they know that? What is the evidence for that?”
The Advocacy for Alleged Witches called for an end to “this state-sponsored witch-hunt”.
Igwe explained that there is no evidence of harm through witchcraft or charms.