MOZAMBIQUE: SADC MUST TAKE STRONG STAND AGAINST SPIRALLING POLICE KILLINGS AND ASSAULT ON PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY

Responding to the apparent police killings of seven people amid post-election protests in Nampula on 13 November 2024, Amnesty International Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Khanyo Farisè, said: 

“The situation in Mozambique gets worse every day as the death toll spirals, yet the Southern African Development Community remains shockingly silent. Regardless of the outcome of the elections, SADC must take a strong stand against the assault on the right to protest and the killing of protesters. 

“SADC has been painfully slow to respond to Mozambique’s crisis. The bloc must forcefully speak out now against the ongoing violations of human rights by Mozambican security forces and put human rights and accountability at the center of its upcoming summit in Harare, Zimbabwe. 

SADC must take a strong stand against the assault on the right to protest and the killing of protesters.

Khanyo Farisè, Amnesty International Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa

“The African Union must also do much more to hold authorities in Mozambique accountable, including by requesting the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to conduct investigations into the ongoing human rights violations in Mozambique.” 

Background

Earlier this month, SADC announced an extraordinary summit from 16 to 20 November in Zimbabwe’s capital to discuss Mozambique’s election and other matters. 

Mozambican authorities have launched a massive crackdown on protesters following disputed elections on 9 October. Police have killed dozens of people so far, injured over one hundred and arbitrarily arrested or detained thousands, according to Mozambican civil society organizations.  

Last week, authorities deployed the military to stop the protests. 

SADC has been painfully slow to respond to Mozambique’s crisis. The bloc must forcefully speak out now against the ongoing violations of human rights. 

Khanyo Farisè, Amnesty International Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa

Protesters have carried out reprisals against suspected police officers, including at least one killing, according to authorities.  

Opposition leader Venancio Mondlane has called multiple phases of protests against alleged electoral fraud and police violations against protesters. The ongoing wave of protests from 13 to 15 November targets provincial capitals and border crossings.