Amnesty International calls for investigation into abuse of security forces in Mozambique

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Amnesty International calls for investigation into abuse of security forces in Mozambique

2:30 CAT | 09 Sep 2020

Picture: Lusa

Amnesty International (AI) on Wednesday advocated an independent investigation into suspected torture and other human rights violations committed by Mozambican security forces in Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique.

“The Mozambique government must launch an independent and impartial investigation into torture and other grave violations committed by security forces in Cabo Delgado,” appeals Amnesty International, in a statement, after analysing a set of images captured in the region.

These include videos and photos which, according to the AI, “show the attempted beheading, torture and other ill-treatment of prisoners; the dismemberment of alleged opposition fighters; possible extrajudicial executions; and the transport and discarding of a large number of corpses into apparent mass graves.”

Mozambique: Torture by security forces in gruesome videos must be investigated https://t.co/gFxiiZfQXM

— AmnestySouthernAfrica (@AmnestySARO) September 9, 2020

Cabo Delgado has been facing attacks for three years from armed groups that have killed more than 1,000 people and displaced 250,000 internally.

The director of AI for Eastern Africa and Southern Africa, Deprose Muchena, said that “the abuses attributed to the group known as Al-Shabaab can never justify further violations by the security forces of Mozambique”, but the images “are evidence of the serious human rights violations and shocking violence that has been taking place in Cabo Delgado, away from the international spotlight.”

Members of Amnesty International obtained five videos and three photos from sources in Mozambique and the materials, in digital format, were verified by participants in the ‘Crisis Evidence Lab’ section of AI.

“Soldiers in the videos wear two different uniforms,Most wear the green and brown ‘lizard’ camouflage, black boots, tan web gear, and yellow-and-black shoulder tabs of FADM, while others wear the lighter green uniform of the PIR. The soldiers carry older Kalashnikov rifles and wear flak jacket-style body armour, which matches that normally worn by FADM in the region,” AI said.

The organisation also highlights the fact that they speak Portuguese and Changana, a language of southern Mozambique, and refer to recent fighting in Mocímboa da Praia, “making it highly likely that the videos were filmed in or near Cabo Delgado in the first half of 2020”.

“However, Amnesty International has so far been unable to independently geolocate the precise location of the filming.” the statement added.

“The unspeakable cruelty and inhumanity displayed in these videos has no place in any society of order, rule of law and human rights. The Mozambique government has an obligation to immediately launch an independent and impartial investigation to bring those responsible to justice,” said Deprose Muchena.

Other warnings of abuses in the Cabo Delgado confrontation have emerged.

In May, the president of Mozambique’s National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), Luis Bitone, said the situation is causing “irreparable damage to human rights” in the country.

In April, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi admitted “involuntary violations” of human rights by the authorities in Cabo Delgado, adding that the accusations should merit the attention of the authorities.

Mozambique@amnesty calls for investigations on soldiers acting with impunity. pic.twitter.com/5pwRsYDQAs

— Jasmine Opperman (@Jasminechic00) September 9, 2020

A well-orchestrated attack on journalism & media freedom in #Mozambique designed to restrict media freedom, intimidate & harass the paper & weaken its investigative journalism. My thoughts on impact of @Canal_Moz arson attack @adriano_nuvunga @SAHRDNetwork https://t.co/iQiapeg7gv

— Deprose Muchena (@DeproseM) September 9, 2020

Source: Lusa