Mozambique Journalist Union condemns Renamo “war crime” – AIM

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Mozambique Journalist Union condemns Renamo “war crime” – AIM

2:40 CAT | 16 Aug 2016

AFP (File photo)

Mozambique’s National Union of Journalists (SNJ) has condemned an attack on a group of journalists who were ambushed by gunmen from the opposition party Renamo on Friday.

The victims of the ambush were a team of reporters travelling to Macossa, in the central province of Manica, to cover President Filipe Nyusi’s visit to the district. Two cars belonging to Radio Mozambique and public television broadcaster TVM were fired upon as they drove through Chiuala, in Barue district, resulting in a journalist receiving a minor injury from shards of glass.

The union’s General Secretary, Eduardo Constantino, condemned the attack as a war crime on the grounds that it broke the third Geneva Convention on press freedom.

Cited in the daily newspaper “Noticias”, Constantino stated that the union had reported the incident to the International Federation of Journalists. He added that the attack was entirely unjustifiable as the cars had been clearly marked. He also pointed out that, “attacks on civilians in general, and journalists, in particular, are inexplicable”.

The Mozambican chapter of the regional press freedom body MISA (Media Institute of Southern Africa) also condemned the assault. Fernando Goncalves said that it was a flagrant violation of press freedom and, as defined by international conventions, a war crime.

The attack was similarly condemned by the Higher Mass Media Council (CSCS), the watchdog body on press freedom and the right to information established under the Mozambican constitution. It noted that the vehicles were clearly identified, which means that the assault was not a matter of bad luck but intentional. The CSCS called for the perpetrators to be tried and convicted in court.

Source: AIM