Zambia: Closing Courts Curbs Access to Justice

Johannesburg — Closing Coincided with Deadline for Challenging Election Results

Zambian authorities suddenly closed and cordoned off the courts without credible explanation on August 24, 2026, effectively blocking the filing of any legal challenges to the results of the August 13 presidential election, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities should immediately allow the courts to reopen.

Zambian police stated that the closures were an “intelligence-led and preventive measure,” without…