(MISA/IFEX) – Journalist Fernando Quinova, who works for the publicly-owned Mass Communication Institute (ICS), has been re-arrested after escaping from jail where he had languished for twenty-three days without charge. **Updates IFEX alerts of 5 March, 3 February and 28 January 1999** Quinova was initially arrested in the town of Chiure in the northern Cabo […]
(MISA/IFEX) – Journalist Fernando Quinova, who works for the
publicly-owned
Mass
Communication Institute (ICS), has been re-arrested after escaping from
jail
where he had languished for twenty-three days without charge.
**Updates IFEX alerts of 5 March, 3 February and 28 January 1999**
Quinova was initially arrested in the town of Chiure in the northern
Cabo
Delgado province after reporting a story about Cabral Manica, an alleged
thief who died in detention apparently after being tortured. Quinova
later
fled on foot to Pemba after escaping from jail.
The Mozambique News Agency (AIM), quoting the Maputo daily “Noticias” of
6
March, reported that Quinova along with the Pemba ICS delegate, Luisa
Lourenco, laid a complaint with the provincial command, who admitted
that
the Chiure police had behaved illegally, and promised an inquiry.
Despite
this, AIM reports that Quinova was re-arrested when he returned to
Chiure in
mid-February. Due to the communications difficulties in northern
Mozambique,
the story only filtered through to Maputo last week.
AIM reports that this time, however, Quinova has been charged. The
police
reportedly presented the Chiure district court with charges of
slandering
the police and illegally leaking information. The journalist remains in
prison despite the presiding judge of the district court, Raimundo
Yassine,
having pointed out to “Noticias” that these were minor offences that
could
be dealt with summarily.
The judge was unable to explain what the offence of “leaking
information”
was, although it is believed to relate to nothing more than reporting
the
death of the alleged thief before the judicial authorities had finished
handling the matter. According to AIM, this is certainly not a crime
under
the 1991 Mozambican press law, and reporting matters of public interest
is
clearly protected by the Mozambican Constitution. The slander charge
would
relate to whether or not the police were actually involved in Manica’s
death, a fact that was yet to be proved in court or an inquiry.
Meanwhile, police have reportedly tightened security around Quinova
following his earlier escape. Speaking to “Noticias”, the journalist
said:
“Life is just suffering…I eat just once a day at lunch.” The prison
director confirmed this, justifying it on the grounds that the prison
had a
food shortage. The journalist also claimed to “Noticias” that he had
been
tortured by police. When the newspaper confronted the district
commander,
Severino Charles, about this allegation, he brushed it aside saying,
“The
prison isn’t a hotel…I can’t confirm it because I’m not a prison
guard.”
Background Information
Quinova was arrested around the middle of December last year after
reporting
that an alleged thief, Cabral Manica, had died in detention because of
police torture. The report, which was broadcast on Radio Mozambique,
claimed
that local police in Chiure had beaten Manica mercilessly, tied his arms
and
legs behind his back, and kept him in this position for several hours,
before he expired.
No formal charges were laid against the reporter who was kept in the
police
cells for twenty-three days. He said the police stole 400,000 meticais
(U.S.$32) from him while in detention.
Quinova said that, in order to see the sun from time to time, the police
charged him and he paid a total of 100,000 meticais (U.S.$8) for the
privilege of “seeing the sun” during his period of detention. He
narrated
that it was on one of these occasions that he managed to escape, and
headed
for the provincial capital, Pemba, where he arrived on 25 January,
following
two weeks on foot in the bush.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
calling
for
an urgent inquiry into the actions of the police at Chiure
Presiding judge had already indicated that the matter could be dealt
with
summarily and that there was no reason for a prolonged detention
Quinova
either be brought before the court as soon as possible or the charges be
dropped
against
Quinova
Appeals To
President Joaquim Alberto Chissano
Avenida Julius Nyerere 2000
Caixa Postal 285
Maputo
Mozambique
Fax: + 258 1 492 068The Minister of Interior
Almerino Manhenje
Fax: + 258 1 422 0084/431 048The General Commander of Police
General Pascol Ronda
Fax: + 258 1 431 048The Chairperson of the Higher Council for Social Communciation
Julietta Langa
Fax: + 258 1 493 845
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
