Zambia has voted to abolish the death penalty.
Presidential spokesman Anthony Bwalya said President Hakainde Hichilema had approved the country's new penal code, which would abolish the death penalty.
Accordingly, the criminal offense of “defamation of the President” will also be eliminated.
Human rights activist Brebner Changala hailed the decision as a "milestone" in overcoming colonial-era laws that did not fit Zambia's "democratic order".
Longtime opposition politician Hichilema was elected President of Zambia in August 2021.
During the election campaign, he had promised to fight rampant corruption in the country and to promote the economy.
The peaceful transfer of power between his predecessor Lungu and Hichilema was seen internationally as a hopeful sign.
Located in southern Africa, Zambia has a population of 18 million and gained independence from the colonial power Great Britain in 1964.
The Chair of Zambia's Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Caroline Katotobwe, said the abolition of the "repressive" offense of "defamation of the President" would allow citizens "to express their opinions freely and without fear of prosecution".