Mozambique: End violent post-election crackdown ahead of 7 ...

Ahead of a major opposition march planned for 7 November in Maputo following disputed elections, Mozambique’s Frelimo-led government must halt its violent and widespread crackdown on human rights and respect everyone’s rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, Amnesty International said.

The crisis in Mozambique is the country’s worst crackdown on protests in years. Police have killed more than 20 people and injured or arrested hundreds more, according to civil society. Security forces have routinely tried to violently and unlawfully break up peaceful assemblies with tear gas, bullets and arbitrary arrests. Authorities say protesters killed at least one police officer.

“The last two weeks in Mozambique have been marked by completely unnecessary bloodshed as authorities have tried to stop a peaceful protest movement with deadly force. The number of casualties increases every day, with authorities deploying weapons of war, including rifles and armoured vehicles, on city streets. People cannot even protest in their own homes without risking tear gassing by police,” said Khanyo Farise, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa.

The government has repeatedly cut internet access across the country and blocked social media sites for nearly a week. Unknown gunmen assassinated two leading opposition figures, and opposition leader Venancio Mondlane is in hiding.

Mozambique’s government has the primary responsibility to respect and uphold human rights, but neighboring countries and international organizations, including the Southern African Development Community and the African Union, must forcefully speak out now to prevent further unlawful killings and other human rights violations.

“This outrageous chapter in Mozambique’s history must end now, and perpetrators must be brought to justice. Mozambique’s government must pull back from the brink to avert further human rights violations,” said Khanyo Farise.

Background

Mozambique held general elections on 9 October 2024. Opposition members and independent observers alleged vote-rigging, prompting protests which police violently repressed during and after the vote counting process.

On 19 October, two senior opposition figures, Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe, were gunned down in Maputo. On 21 October, police violently dispersed a press conference and protests led by Venancio Mondlane near the site of the killings.

On 24 October, the national election authority declared Frelimo candidate Daniel Chapo the winner over Venancio Mondlane. Mondlane called a two-day nationwide strike on 24 and 25 October, which police then repressed.

On 29 October, doctors’ associations announced at least ten people had been killed during protests. Civil society and media reported further police killings during an ongoing week of protests also called by Mondlane, which started on 31 October and is set to culminate in Maputo on 7 November.

Mozambique has a history of human rights violations during disputed elections, including last year.