Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) chairperson Timothy Mtambo is still in hiding following a warrant of arrest issued for him and the police say they were still looking for him.

The police say Mtambo and the two other arrested HRDC officials Gift Trapence and MacDonald Sembereka are facing charges of inciting people to hold demonstrations at state residences.

National police headquarters spokesperson James Kadadzera said their case stems from their statements they made last week to shut down state residences.

"They are aware that section 103 of the police Act prohibits any demonstration or assemblies within a hundred metres from state residences unless the same has been permitted by the state president," Kadadzera says.

He said this provision of the law had been brought before Mtambo and the other officials before when they attempted to demonstrate at state residences.

He said section 124 of the penal code prohibits any person to incite or solicit another person to break the law.

"By inciting people to seal the state residences on 25 March, 2020, the three committed an offence under section 124 of the penal code," said Kadadzera.

Trapence and Sembereka were arrested on Sunday just hours after President Peter Mutharika vowed at a rally to deal with the HRDC over its decision to shut the state residences.