The legal framework
Zambia's cyber legislation, first enacted in 2021 and replaced by new cyber security and cyber crimes statutes in 2025, criminalises cyber harassment, the transmission of obscene material and related conduct. The Data Protection Act 2021 applies to identifiable images, and the Penal Code covers extortion.
Key points
| Statute | Cyber crimes legislation, renewed in 2025 |
|---|---|
| Offences | Cyber harassment, transmission of obscene material, extortion |
| Data protection | Data Protection Act 2021 |
| Reporting | Zambia Police cybercrime unit, and the national CIRT |
| Concerns | The framework has been criticised for broad surveillance powers |
| Constitution | Article 17 protects privacy of home and correspondence |
| Framework renewed | The applicable offence depends on the date of the incident |
| Extortion | Separately punishable under the penal code |
| Legal aid | Available through the Legal Aid Board and NGOs |
In practice
- Save the evidence before reporting: screenshots with the URL and date, the account name, and any messages.
- Use the platform's own reporting form first — it is the fastest route to removal — then report to the authority.
- Use StopNCII.org or Take It Down for intimate images: they create a digital fingerprint so participating platforms can block re-uploads without you sending the image anywhere.
- Do not pay a person demanding money to delete an image: payment almost always leads to further demands.
- Bring the exact dates to whoever advises you: the legislation changed in 2025.
Where to go
- Zambia Police Service cybercrime unit.
- Human Rights Commission.
- Legal Aid Board and Women in Law and Development in Africa.
Worth knowing
The legislation changed in 2025 and the offence you rely on depends on when the incident occurred: bring the dates to whoever advises you. Because the cyber statutes were replaced in 2025, the offence that applies depends on when the sharing occurred.
Official sources and links
- UN Human Rights Office — ratified treaties and country reviews
- ILO NATLEX — national legislation database