Zambian Catholic bishops say many people are afraid of speaking out against the government's "brutality, intimidation and threats by those in authority", the privately owned Lusaka Times website reports.

The head of Conference of Catholic Bishops, George Lungu, is quoted as saying that people can no longer even criticise political party officials
Last week, Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo gave some artists a 24-hour ultimatum to apologise to President Edgar Lungu for critical comments about government corruption.

One of them apologised while two others refused to comply.
The bishops have also called on Zambian MPs to withdraw a contentious constitution amendment bill that proposes changes in the electoral system and revises the composition of cabinet.

They called for consensus-building before the changes were made.