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Mozambique: Human rights activists protest at illegal police ban – AIM
11:57 CAT | 26 Jan 2022
Photo: ARDH
The Human Rights Network Association (ARDH) on Monday called on the Mozambican Attorney-General’s Office (PGR) to take criminal action against those members of the police force who had illegally banned ARDH press conferences and briefly detained members of the association.
Speaking to reporters shortly after submitting the document to the PGR, the ARDH chairperson, Sergio Matsinhe, said the first police attack against the ARDH occurred on 31 December. Then the ARDH had attempted to hold a press conference in which it had intended to call on the government to revoke the increase in bus fares determined by the Maputo Municipal Assembly.
On 19 January, the police also intervened to prevent the ARDH from holding a press conference to react to the Municipal Council’s decision to increase the municipal poll tax from 486 meticais (about 7.5 US dollars, at the current exchange rate) to 510 meticais.
The police behaviour, Matsinhe said, undermines the rule of law. For the police have no power to band press conference, or other peaceful gatherings. Regardless of the subject matter of the press conference, the law simply does not give the police any authority to intervene.
The complaint submitted to the PGR targets the commanders of the 17th and 18th Maputo police precincts, whom, the ARDH believes, were responsible for the illegal bans against its activities.
Not only had the police prevented the press conferences from taking place, but they had held Matsinhe and other ARDH members for seven hours incommunicado and without any food.
The police have not yet explained their flagrantly illegal behavior.
Read: Mozambique: For second time, police illegally ban press conference
Source: AIM
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