Covid-19: Mozambican PR criticises police brutality during state of emergency – Lusa

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Covid-19: Mozambican PR criticises police brutality during state of emergency – Lusa

3:54 CAT | 03 Jul 2020

Photo: Noticias

The Mozambican President, Filipe Nyusi, has criticised police brutality in the imposition of the state of emergency decreed for the prevention of Covid-19 but also censured the “victimisation” of some citizens who break the restrictions imposed by the government.

“I need to make it clear here that there are no instructions to abuse citizens, nor should there be”, said Filipe Nyusi, in statements reproduced today by the public broadcaster Rádio Moçambique.

Nyusi was speaking on Thursday during a meeting with representatives of 16 extra-parliamentary parties.

The head of state said that the authorities are holding those accused of abuses accountable in the implementation of the measures decreed under the state of emergency.

Filipe Nyusi criticised, in particular, the violence against children, advocating a more educational attitude in the respect of the restrictions imposed and condemned what he considered to be “victimisation” by some citizens caught breaking the state of emergency.

“Of course, violators [of the state of emergency] become victims, they misuse human rights,” Nyusi said.

In his meeting with representatives of extra-parliamentary parties, the head of state justified relaxing some measures of the state of emergency with the need to ensure the functioning of the economy.

With a total of 918 positive cases, six deaths and 249 recovered (by Thursday, July 2), Mozambique has been in a state of emergency since 1 April.

Filipe Nyusi announced on Sunday the extension of the state of emergency for the third time – the maximum provided for in the Constitution – with a phased lifting of some restrictions.

The schools will reopen, there will be international air links with some countries, more staff will be allowed in the workplaces and museums may reopen.

The Covid-19 pandemic has claimed more than 517,000 lives and infected more than 10.76 million people in 196 countries and territories, according to a report by the French agency AFP.