Mondlane’s representative arrested: “It’s a political process.”

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Mondlane’s representative arrested: “It’s a political process.”

7:15 CAT | 03 Apr 2025

FILE -"My representative, Glória Nobre Chire, has become a political prisoner," wrote former presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane on social media. [File photo: Nádia Issufo/DW]

Venâncio Mondlane’s financial representative has been detained since March 12. André Mulungo, an official at the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, told DW that this is “a broader campaign of political persecution.”

“This is a political process.” This is how the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD) describes the arrest of Venâncio Mondlane’s financial representative. Glória Nobre has been detained since March 12 and, according to the latest information, is still reportedly prevented from contacting her family and her lawyer.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Mozambique has accused Glória Nobre of crimes against state security and criminal conspiracy. Her family has denounced her arrest as “arbitrary detention”.

In an interview with DW, André Mulungo, an official at the CDD, said that this is “a broader campaign of persecution and political intolerance, which includes the murder of people linked to the opposition”.

DW Africa: Venâncio Mondlane’s financial representative, Glória Nobre, was arrested on March 12. What is known about her current situation?

André Mulungo (AM): On Saturday, we received information that this lady is prohibited from receiving visitors and from contacting her lawyers.

DW Africa: The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Mozambique is accusing Glória Nobre of crimes against state security and criminal conspiracy. Is there any basis for these accusations?

AM: We have no information, and saying that she is accused of crimes against state security is vague. More important would be to say in a concrete way what the crimes she is accused of are, what has she done. This information is not public.

As an organization, what we believe is that this is part of what we call the “judicialization” of politics in a broader context of persecution and political intolerance by the Frelimo party regime.

Whenever the Frelimo party feels pressured and threatened by certain opposition individuals, it resorts to murder, violence against people and legal proceedings.

Mondlanetivane.dw_ — FILE – Former Mozambican presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane (left) with his advisor Dinis Tivane. Tivane was ordered to give a statement at the Central Office for Organized and Transnational Crime for reasons that are not publicly known. [File photo: Social Media]

DW Africa: Dinis Tivane, Venâncio Mondlane’s advisor, was also ordered to give a statement at the Central Office for Organized and Transnational Crime. The reasons are not known. Are we facing a similar situation?

AM: Venâncio Mondlane himself has proceedings before the Attorney General’s Office. Dinis Tivane, one of Venâncio Mondlane’s advisors, also has a case before the Attorney General’s Office.

But, as I was saying, history shows us that whenever Frelimo finds itself in trouble, it resorts to the courts. It is an old strategy that is being repeated at this time. What they are trying to target here is not that lady, nor Dinis Tivane – it is Venâncio Mondlane as the main opponent of the Frelimo party regime.

DW Africa: You said that Frelimo resorts to the courts when pressured. Are there other cases that, in your opinion, can prove this premise?

AM: In the context of the protests against the fraudulent results of the 2023 elections, the courts filed lawsuits against Paulo Vahanle, a former mayor of the city of Nampula, and Raúl Novinte, a former mayor of Nacala-Porto.

These two municipalities are the ones which, not counting Maputo and Matola, led the demonstrations. What happened there?

In the case of Raúl Novinte and Paulo Vahanle, they were even placed under house arrest, to prevent them from any political activity and even from exercising rights such as demonstrating. What for? To ensure a peaceful political transition, because they said at the time that they would not let Frelimo take office, because, for them, Frelimo did not win the elections.

DW Africa: What can we expect from the CDD now?

AM: We, as the CDD, are preparing and organizing ourselves. We are gathering all the evidence, all the elements, to fight for the restitution of Glória Nobre’s rights. We will fight, as we have fought in several cases, to ensure that her rights are restored. From then on, we will have more information about this case, which is a political case, not a judicial one.

Source: Deutsche Welle