Mutharika lambasts Amnesty International for condemning arrest of HRDC leaders

President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has lambasted the Amnesty International for condemning the arrest of the three leaders of the Human Right Defenders Coalition (HRDC), saying the call is unfounded.

Amnesty International Director for East and Southern Africa Deprose Muchena in a statement released on Tuesday described the arrest of Timothy Mtambo, Gift Trapense and Rev. Macdonald Sembereka as ill-timed.

“The arrests of Gift Trapence and Reverend McDonald Sembereka are deeply troubling, coming amidst the highly charged political environment ahead of the election rerun. Many human rights defenders have been subjected to threats, including by President Arthur Mutharika and senior leaders of his party,” said Muchena.

Addressing the people in Chikwawa during of the launch of the multi-billion kwacha Shire Valley Transformation Program, Mutharika branded Muchena as useless man.

The visibly angry Mutharika said human rights should not be abused because closing state houses is tantamount to treason.

“That is putting a president under arrest. If you think that is human rights you must be idiots,” said Mutharika while attracting ululation from the people gathered at the rally.

Mutharika then urged Malawi Defence Force (MDF) soldiers and the Malawi Police Service to use force in stopping the planned Malawi Congress Party (MCP) demonstration scheduled for Thursday across the country.