Concern is being raised over the escalating intimidation and violence against journalists, including arrests, assaults, and theft of equipment while reporting on events.
As Mozambique approaches its October general elections, journalists are working in a challenging environment characterised by intimidation, threats, harassment and assaults. Two articles published by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on 7 June describe recent attacks and express growing concern over the hostile environment in which journalists operate.
Threats, harassment, and assaults against reporters have escalated, particularly those covering events and processes related to the elections. The increasing number of attacks on journalists underscores the challenging conditions under which they are working.
The Committee to Protect Journalists voiced serious concerns after a journalist was arrested and two others were robbed while covering a protest in Maputo. Sheila Wilson, reporting for the Center for Democracy and Human Rights, was detained by police during a live broadcast of a demonstration over pension disputes. She was held incommunicado for six hours and later informed of a pending investigation.
During the same event, STV journalists Laves Macatane and Hélder Matwassa were assaulted and robbed of their camera by unidentified men as they interviewed police spokesperson, Leonel Muchina. Despite a significant police presence, assailants escaped through a police cordon, and the incident went unchallenged by the officers on duty.
CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Muthoki Mumo condemned the lack of protection for journalists by Mozambican police and called for an investigation into the robbery and the dropping of any charges against Wilson.
Mozambican authorities are urged to investigate the harassment and assault of at least five journalists who have reported on election-related events since March. Incidents include an attack by private security guards on STV reporter Jorge Marcos and camera operator Verson Paulo in Zambézia province, with police failing to intervene.
In another incident, TV Sucesso reporter Ernesto Martinho and camera operator Valdo Massingue were expelled from a school in Maputo by private security officers during a live broadcast of a Frelimo party congress.
MISA Mozambique condemned the attack as a severe violation of press freedom, highlighting the indifference of the police officers present and urging an investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable. Read the full statement here:
In Nampula province, journalist Atanázio Amade was arrested while covering voter registration, allegedly for lacking proper credentials. He was forced by police and security service directors to delete footage, under accusations of illegal monitoring of the electoral process. Despite attempts to seek comments from party spokespeople and officials, responses were either non-existent or evasive.
CPJ’s Mumo emphasised the importance of the upcoming 2024 elections and the necessity for political parties to refrain from controlling access to public information access.
