10 June 2013 – Zambia is approaching a dangerous state of lawlessness following recent actions by the Patriotic Front-led government to defy court orders and organize violent militias to attack civil society, says international lawyer Robert Amsterdam. “When a government brazenly ignores its courts and uses violence against its own citizens, society is exposed to [...]

Open Letter to His Excellency Akio Egawa, Ambassador of Japan to Zambia, His Excellency Mark Storella, Ambassador of the United States to Zambia, and His Excellency James Thornton, High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Zambia June 6, 2013 Your Excellencies, We respectfully address this open letter toward your distinguished offices with regard to recent [...]

10 May 2013 – The recent decision by Interpol to halt the case against Henry Banda, the son of the former President Rupiah Banda, stands as an indication of the politically motivated and groundless defamation campaign against his family waged by the current government of Zambia, says his lawyer Robert Amsterdam, of Amsterdam & Partners [...]

Following the Zambian government’s blatant violation of the law earlier today when immigration authorities illegally prevented former President Rupiah Banda from traveling to Kenya despite a court order allowing the trip, a government spokesperson has issued a statement attempting to whitewash their unlawful conduct. According to the statement by Deputy Minister for Broadcasting and Information [...]

9 April 2013 – Despite a court order releasing former President Rupiah Banda’s passport and official notification to immigration authorities approving his travel to Kenya for the inauguration, today authorities acting under instructions from President Michael Sata forcefully prevented him from boarding his flight, says his international lawyer Robert Amsterdam. Former President Banda, who is [...]

28 March 2013 – Following the disputed removal of immunity of the former President of Zambia Rupiah Banda and his arrest on trumped up charges, his international lawyer Robert Amsterdam says that the persecution forms part of the ruling party’s plan to transfer power from President Michael Sata to a successor. “Now that we are [...]

25 March 2013 – Following today’s arrest and charge against the former President of Zambia Rupiah Banda, his international lawyer Robert Amsterdam described the measure as a “desperate” and “politically motivated” action designed to persecute and defame potential opposition leaders. “Given this government’s exceedingly poor record on anti-corruption issues among sitting ministers, the international community [...]

This evening the following letter was delivered to the offices of each head of Member States of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) concerning our reasonable suspicions that the PF government intends to illegally jail former President Rupiah Banda without a trial. To:  President of Angola Jose Eduardo dos Santos, President of Bostwana Ian Khama, [...]

17 March 2013 – The recent move by Zambia’s ruling party to force through a parliamentary motion in order to remove former President Rupiah Banda’s immunity was not only handled unlawfully, says his international lawyer Robert Amsterdam, but also represents a grave stain on the country’s reputation. The statement from Mr. Amsterdam follows: “There are [...]