The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has faulted the Malawi Police Service (MPS) for what they call police brutality in enforcing newly gazzeted Covid-19 guidelines.

There have been reports and clips on social media in which police officers are seen beating people in the streets for not adhering to Covid-19 preventive measures such as wearing of face masks which is now mandatory.

In a press statement released by the Coalition, what the police are doing in beating people for no wearing face masks is an infringement of human rights and it must stop.

HRDC chairperson Gift Trapence has also reminded the police officers that Malawi is not a police state hence a need for them to stop police brutality.

Trapence further demands that the Police Inspector General George Kainja disciplines officers involved in the beating of civilians.

However, James Kadadzera, National Police Spokesperson has said that the officers are using the necessary measures to ensure that people are following Coivd-19 guidelines in order to halt the spread of the virus in the country.