Mutharika pledges to address rights issues: Chasowa case to be concluded
Malawi President Peter Mutharika has assured that his government is committed to address keys human rights issues including reports of cases of extrajudicial killings gets to logical conclusion as fundamental key in unlocking financial .
Mutharika told a news conference in the capital, Lilongwe, Tuesday afternoon.
He was responding to the question on what his government doing on United Nations Special Committee on civil and political rights recommendations which the Malawi CSOs have been advocating for their implementation.
Addressing a joint news conference in Blantyre over the weekend, Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) Executive Director Timothy Mtambo and Centre for the Development of People (Cedep) Executive Director Gift Trapence appealed to Malawi government to fully implement recommendations of the UN special committee.
Mutharika said his government is committed to conclude Robert Chasowa murder case, which suspects are key members of his governing party.
University student Robert Chasowa was found dead in mysterious circumstances and a student at the Natural Resources College in Lilongwe, Edward Msiska died in police custody in Mzuzu after he was beaten by the police.
Mutharika also expressed commitment that his government will also conclude investigations and compensation of the July 20, victims.
On July 20 2011, 20 people were killed during the countrywide demonstrations over abuse of office, among other reasons, by the then State president Bingu wa Mutharika.
The UN has since asked Malawi to prosecute all alleged perpetrators of extrajudicial killings, complete expeditiously all the process that have been already initiated, punish those who are convicted, and protect, rehabilitate and compensate the victims.
Reacting to the President commitment, Cedep Executive Director Mr Trapence urged Mutharika to transform the commitments into action.
“We are happy for the commitment that the President has just mad,e however we want him to translate the same into action, we need the president to repeal anti sodomy laws, ” said Trapence.
>Last month, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Gerald Neuman accused Malawi of failing to protect civil and political rights.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :