Chamusse murder: CDD Mozambique accuses police of illegal detentions

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Chamusse murder: CDD Mozambique accuses police of illegal detentions

4:50 CAT | 18 Dec 2023

File photo: Sala da Paz

CDD denounces violation of rights in the case of detainees linked to the death of João Chamusse. The Mozambican NGO criticizes delays in interrogation and denial of access to a lawyer. Meanwhile, journalists demand action.

The Mozambican non-governmental organization (NGO) Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD) accuses the police of flagrant violation of the fundamental rights of two citizens who have been arrested over their alleged involvement in the murder of journalist João Chamusse.

In a statement, the CDD reports that the 48-hour deadline for the two men to be presented for their first interrogation by an investigating judge has been exceeded and adds that the detainees have been denied access to a lawyer appointed by the NGO.

“The procedures for detaining those allegedly responsible for the death of Journalist João Chamusse flagrantly violate the rights of the detained person and the deadlines for carrying out the first interrogation,” the note states.

In the case of suspect Nelson Jonas, he is in a situation of illegal arrest, the note says, given that, since his arrest to date he has not been presented to the investigating judge within 48 hours for first interrogation, as provided for by law.

In relation to Alfredo Pundana, the 48-hour period ends today, according to the CDD.

That NGO criticizes the silence of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in relation to the alleged illegalities carried out by the police command, highlighting that “it has not yet commented on any of the situations”.

The CDD further reports that the head of operations of the police command holding the detainees has accused a lawyer appointed by the NGO, at the request of the family of one of the detainees, of attempts to politicize the case.

Journalists call for action

Yesterday, a few dozen Mozambican journalists marched in Maputo against perceived “impunity” in crimes against the class, a march that culminated in the submission of a petition to the Attorney General’s Office (PGR).

“We left a petition asking for strong action from the Public Prosecutor’s Office in relation to crimes against media professionals,” declared Jeremias Langa, president of the Mozambican chapter of the Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA Moçambique), which called for the march.

The march was also called to demand clarification of the case of João Chamusse, a Mozambican journalist and television commentator who died on Thursday at his home in Maputo, in circumstances that remain unexplained.

“We left another document, which is a criminal complaint against unknown persons (…) Fundamentally, we came here to leave an appeal to the Public Prosecutor’s Office to exercise its duties as holder of the criminal action, to carry out a serious investigation and allow us to reach the material truth,” Langa said.

Singing songs praising freedom of expression and of the press, the group, also made up of activists, walked approximately two kilometres from Vladimir Lenine Avenue to the PGR, shouting, in unison, “Chamusse, your voice will not be silenced”, in tribute to the murdered journalist.

João Chamusse, 59, was found dead in the backyard of his residence, in Nsime, Maputo province on Thursday, without clothes and with a wound on the back of his head.

Source: Deutsche Welle