View source for Human rights in Zambia

'''Human rights in Zambia''' are addressed in the constitution. However, the Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Zambia
for 2012 by the United States Department of State noted that in general, the government's human rights record remained poor.

==Serious abuses==

The ''Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Zambia for 2012'' noted the following serious human rights abuses:<ref name="USDOS-2012-HumanRightsReportforZimbia">[http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2012&dlid=204181 "Zambia"], ''Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012'', Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State, 22 March 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2014.</ref>
* abuses by security forces, including unlawful killings, torture, and beatings; 
* life-threatening prison conditions; 
* restrictions on freedom of speech, assembly, and association;
* arbitrary arrest and prolonged pretrial detention; 
* arbitrary interference with privacy; 
* government corruption;
* violence and discrimination against women, child abuse, and trafficking in persons; 
* discrimination against persons with disabilities and based on sexual orientation;
* restrictions on labor rights, forced labor, and child labor; and
* that the government generally did not take steps to prosecute or punish officials who committed abuses, allowing impunity to remain a problem.

==''Freedom in the World'' ratings==

The following are Zambia's ratings since 1972 in the Freedom in the World reports, published annually by Freedom House (1 is best, 7 is worst).<ref name='FH1972'> {{cite web | url = http://www.freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/FIW%20All%20Scores%2C%20Countries%2C%201973-2012%20%28FINAL%29.xls | title = Country ratings and status, Freedom in the World 1973-2012 | accessdate = 22 August 2012 | publisher = [[Freedom House]] | date = 2012 | format = XLS}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="border-collapse:collapse;"
|- style="background:#eee; font-weight:bold; text-align:center;"
| style="width:3em; text-align:left;" | Year
| style="width:3em;" |Political Rights
| style="width:3em;" |Civil Liberties
| style="width:3em;" |Status
| style="width:3em;" |[[List of Presidents of Zambia|President]]{{ref|a|1}}
|- align=center
| align=left | 1972
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly&nbsp;Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |[[Kenneth&nbsp;Kaunda]]
|- align=center
| align=left | 1973
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1974
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1975
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1976
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1977
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1978
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1979
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1980
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1981
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |6
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1982
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |6
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1983
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |6
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1984
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1985
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1986
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1987
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1988
| style="background:#ff9;" |6
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1989
| style="background:#ff9;" |6
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1990
| style="background:#ff9;" |6
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1991
| style="background:#9f9;" |2
| style="background:#9f9;" |3
| style="background:#9f9;" |Free
| style="background:#9f9;" |Kenneth Kaunda
|- align=center
| align=left | 1992
| style="background:#9f9;" |2
| style="background:#9f9;" |3
| style="background:#9f9;" |Free
| style="background:#9f9;" |[[Frederick Chiluba]]
|- align=center
| align=left | 1993
| style="background:#ff9;" |3
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Frederick&nbsp;Chiluba
|- align=center
| align=left | 1994
| style="background:#ff9;" |3
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Frederick Chiluba
|- align=center
| align=left | 1995
| style="background:#ff9;" |3
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Frederick Chiluba
|- align=center
| align=left | 1996
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Frederick Chiluba
|- align=center
| align=left | 1997
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Frederick Chiluba
|- align=center
| align=left | 1998
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Frederick Chiluba
|- align=center
| align=left | 1999
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Frederick Chiluba
|- align=center
| align=left | 2000
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Frederick Chiluba
|- align=center
| align=left | 2001
| style="background:#ff9;" |5
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Frederick Chiluba
|- align=center
| align=left | 2002
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Frederick Chiluba
|- align=center
| align=left | 2003
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |[[Levy Mwanawasa]]
|- align=center
| align=left | 2004
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Levy&nbsp;Mwanawasa
|- align=center
| align=left | 2005
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Levy Mwanawasa
|- align=center
| align=left | 2006
| style="background:#ff9;" |3
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Levy Mwanawasa
|- align=center
| align=left | 2007
| style="background:#ff9;" |3
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Levy Mwanawasa
|- align=center
| align=left | 2008
| style="background:#ff9;" |3
| style="background:#ff9;" |3
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Levy Mwanawasa
|- align=center
| align=left | 2009
| style="background:#ff9;" |3
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |[[Rupiah Banda]]
|- align=center
| align=left | 2010
| style="background:#ff9;" |3
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Rupiah Banda
|- align=center
| align=left | 2011
| style="background:#ff9;" |3
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |Rupiah Banda
|- align=center
| align=left | 2012<ref>[http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2013/zambia#.UuCHT14o6IE "Zambia"], ''Freedom in the World 2013'', Freedom House. Retrieved 22 January 2014.</ref>
| style="background:#ff9;" |3
| style="background:#ff9;" |4
| style="background:#ff9;" |Partly Free
| style="background:#ff9;" |[[Michael Sata]]
|}


== See also ==
*[[Human trafficking in Zambia]]
*[[Telecommunications in Zambia#Internet censorship and surveillance|Internet censorship and surveillance in Zambia]]
*[[LGBT rights in Zambia]]
*[[Politics of Zambia]]