Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader Lazarus Chakwera yesterday visited party supporters locked up at Maula Prison.
The 18 MCP supporters were arrested last week for protesting against the outcome of the 2019 presidential election. 
The group includes MCP Member of Parliament for Lilongwe City Centre Alfred Jiya.
“I stopped by Maula to tell the protesters-turned-political-prisoners that their courage in pushing for #ANewMalawi without fraudulent elections is not in vain,” Chakwera wrote on Facebook.
He then demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the protesters saying they were only exercising their rights.
“Protesting against injustice is a human right and, at times, even a duty, but never a crime. The peaceful exercise of a right needs no permission, and any hindrance or discouragement thereof is itself unjust. I stand with all Malawians who want peace, but not without truth or justice,” Chakwera said.
On Thursday, the MCP members were involved in running battles with the police who fired teargas at the party’s headquarters to stop the group from protesting.
The ongoing MCP demonstrations are aimed at forcing President Peter Mutharika to resign as the party believes the 2019 election was rigged in his favour.
