Joint Press Statement By Three Church Mother Bodies on the Arrest and Detention of Faith Leaders and the CTPD Staff in Ndola
Abstract
The CCZ, EFZ and the ZCCB were registering their extreme disappointment and concern at the then recent action by the police to prevent citizens from exercising their constitutional right to meet and discuss national issues affecting the society in which they live. This was when three (3) Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) staff and five (5) pastors were arrested, locked up and charged with unlawful assembly with intent to commit crime. The arrested citizens were only released on police bond after they presented working sureties. The church mother bodies condemned the conduct in strongest terms.They viewed the act as worrisome and that police brutality had crossed it's boundaries and the church is a place of refuge for the vulnerable and weak. The mother bodies further called for the police command in the country to be professional and operate above board to the satisfaction of all citizens regardless of their political affiliation, tribe, race, or religion. They urged the political leaders to exercise power with restraint.
Description
It is about the press statement which was released on the arrest of CTPD staff and pastors. It was condemning the act by police to stand against the freedom of assembly which it states is a constitutional right. And they called upon the police command and the political leaders to be resilient in serving the people. It talked of how the church mother bodies stated they would continue advocating for social justice and speaking for the voiceless in the country.