Malawi Law Society tells HRDC to stop organizing protests on issues in court

Malawi Law Society has told Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) to stop organizing protests on issues which are a matter of contention in a court of law.

This is a direct reference to anti-Jane Ansah protests which HRDC has been organizing for five months now to force the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson resign following allegations that the May 21 presidential poll result was manipulated in favour of President Peter Mutharika, an allegation denied by Mutharika and MEC.

“We call upon all members of the public, including but to limited to leaders of HRDC, while freely and peacefully pursuing rights and freedoms under the Constitution, to desist from the tendency and temptation to assume legal correctness of their perspective on any electoral issues currently directly/or indirectly being deliberated upon at the court,” says a statement from MLS.

MLS says the 1994 Constitution says all differences should be resolved through the judicial system not through violence or instilling fear in others.

“At the same time, we also agreed as people that our rights are inalienable but will be enjoyed responsibly,” says MLS.

Malawi Congress Party and UTM are challenging the presidential poll results in the Constitutional Court.