Mozambique’s authorities have failed to credibly investigate the deaths of more than 300 people caught up in protests that followed October’s disputed general election, Amnesty International has claimed.
In a report on the Mozambican security force crackdown on protesters after the October 9th poll, the human rights group has called the response “a shameful overreaction”.
“Instead of listening to people’s grievances and allowing them to voice their concerns, the Frelimo-led government unleashed a wave of violence on demonstrations that resulted in serious injuries and unlawful deaths,” said Khanyo Farise, Amnesty International’s deputy regional director for east and southern Africa.
Soon after Mozambique’s national elections last October, a new opposition party called Podemos and the presidential candidate it backed, Venancio Mondlane, accused the ruling Frelimo party and its candidate, Daniel Chapo, of vote rigging.
International and local election observers also raised concerns about the credibility of the polls, saying there was evidence of widespread irregularities and fraud in the electoral process.
Despite this, Mr Chapo, whose party has ruled Mozambique since independence was secured from Portuguese colonial rule in 1975, was declared the winner of the presidential poll by the country’s electoral commission.
It said Mr Chapo had secured 65.2 per cent of the ballot, with Mr Mondlane coming second with 24.2 per cent.
On October 21st, protests against the election results spread across the country and continued until Mr Chapo was inaugurated on January 15th this year.
Mr Mondlane was forced to flee the country during this period after several of his close associates, as well as Podemos officials who organised the protests, were assassinated by unidentified gunmen.
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According to Human Rights Watch at least 10 key opposition party officials were shot dead. The organisation’s deputy Africa director said last weekend that the failure of Mozambican police “to credibly investigate the killings of key opposition members sends a chilling message that the authorities have no interest in bringing those responsible to justice”.
Civil society has reported more than 300 deaths and more than 3,000 injuries from the start of the protests until mid-January. Police have put the death toll from the protests at 96, including 17 officers.
Titled Protest under attack: Human rights violations during Mozambique’s post-2024 election crackdown, Amnesty International’s report details how the police openly and repeatedly used live ammunition, tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters and bystanders.
“Again and again, we documented Mozambique police and military showing total disregard for people’s safety during protests,” said Ms Farise.
The research for Amnesty International’s investigation was conducted by the Platform for Democracy, Citizenship, Rights and Studies, a national non-profit organisation based in Mozambique that deployed election observers during the recent polls.
The report’s authors say its findings are based on 105 verified videos and photographs, a review of other open-source information, and 28 interviews, mostly with witnesses and survivors.
Mr Chapo has promised his government will investigate the chaotic post-election period.
In early February, Mozambique’s attorney general, Americo Juliao Letela, announced 651 criminal and civil cases related to deaths, injuries and property destruction during protests.
According to Amnesty International, the authorities have not released further details since, and so far, victims and relatives who spoke to the organisation have not received any justice for the human rights violations committed against them.
However, Institute for Security Studies analyst Borges Nhamirre wrote recently that a surprise meeting between Mr Chapo and Mr Mondlane in Maputo on March 23rd offered Mozambicans hope that the election crisis could be resolved.
Mr Nhamirre said the meeting marked the first of several expected dialogues between the groups to address the root causes of the political violence.
