Mozambique Human Rights

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Political Violence

Mozambique went to the polls October 28, 2009 for general and presidential elections. There have been incidents of pre-election violence reported and Amnesty International continues to monitor the situation.

Current president, Armando Guebuza, was elected in 2004 in what national and international observers judged to be generally free and fair elections, despite some documented irregularities during the campaign and in the vote count. FRELIMO used significant state funds and resources for campaign purposes, particularly media access, in violation of election law. FRELIMO (The Front for the Liberation of Mozambique) has been the ruling political party since independence in 1975, heavily influencing both policymaking and implementation.

Opposition party members allege that government intelligence services and ruling party activists monitor without warrants telephone calls and e-mails, conduct surveillance of their offices, follow opposition members, use informants, and disrupt party activities in certain areas, including in Cabo Delgado and Nampula Provinces. By law police require a warrant to enter homes and businesses.

International observers described the November 2008 municipal elections as well-run and transparent. Nonetheless, opposition parties accused FRELIMO once again of using state funds and resources for campaign purposes, in violation of electoral law, and RENAMO, the dominant opposition party, issued complaints of election fraud. Preceding the election, the National Election Commission rejected three RENAMO mayoral candidates on technicalities in the registration process. The Constitutional Council subsequently reinstated the candidates, stating that their exclusion was illegal.

During the run-up to the elections, police shot two persons for tearing down FRELIMO campaign posters in Beira and arrested seven others, including a candidate. In October 2008 the RENAMO mayor of Manjacase was arrested and later released for alleged forgery. In November 2008 two persons were injured when rival motorcades for FRELIMO and RENAMO parties crossed paths in Dondo.

Police Violence

Amnesty International is concerned about the continuing cases of human rights violations by the police in Mozambique and the impunity the police appear to enjoy for these violations. Such impunity is evidenced by the lack of criminal investigations, criminal charges brought against police and trials of police officers. The lack of publicly available information regarding the progress of cases against police officers reinforces the perception that the police have a licence to kill and contributes to continued human rights violations.

Despite some progress in investigating and prosecuting police officers for violating human rights, Amnesty International is concerned that the Procurator General has not effectively exercised his role of police oversight. The organization remains concerned about the numerous cases of human rights violations by the police that have not been brought to the courts for trial. In many instances, such cases have not been investigated and suspected police officers have not been charged. Amnesty International is concerned that the Procurator General has failed to ensure effective investigations into cases of human rights violations by the police and to ensure police officers are held accountable for human rights violations. This failure contributes directly to the growing culture of impunity within the police force, and thus to continued human rights violations by the police.

According to information received by Amnesty International, in 2008 some police officers were tried and convicted for human rights violations in at least four cases. The organization hopes that these convictions following a fair trial will send a strong message that human rights violations by police officers will not be tolerated.

Below are two examples of documented police violence in Mozambique.

In February 2009 Nelson José Ronda was talking to his friends near the Nsango market in Tete province when a police officer called him aside. He went over to the police officer who then shot him in the leg three times. The police officer alleged Nelson was a dangerous criminal who had been arrested for a variety of crimes. Eyewitnesses stated the reaction of the police was excessive as Nelson had not attempted to escape and had gone over to the police officer when called. Nelson was arrested and detained on suspicion of robbery, but no charges have been brought against the police officer for shooting Nelson in the leg.

In 2007 Abranches Afonso Penicelo (also known as Abrantes Penicela) was kidnapped, beaten, given a toxic injection, shot and burnt by at least five police officers who left him for dead in a secluded area in Xhinavane, some 120 km north of Maputo. Abranches survived long enough to be taken to the Maputo Central Hospital and tell his story to his family and several police officers, including one from the 5th police station before dying of his injuries on 15 August. In January 2009 a senior police officer, was arrested and charged with murder. None of the other police officers suspected of involvement have been charged. The investigation apparently continues. A trial date has not been set.

End Human Rights Violations by Police in Mozambique
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