(MISA/IFEX) – On 13 April 2005, two camerapersons from the privately-owned Mozambican television channel STV were beaten up and had their equipment seized by a group of guards from a private security firm. The media workers were filming randomly in the streets of the capital, Maputo. According to STV, the journalists were stopped and asked […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On 13 April 2005, two camerapersons from the privately-owned Mozambican television channel STV were beaten up and had their equipment seized by a group of guards from a private security firm. The media workers were filming randomly in the streets of the capital, Maputo.
According to STV, the journalists were stopped and asked to cease filming because the guards were suspicious of their activities. “A team of our reporters was filming different settings of the city when, all of sudden, they were told to hand over their equipment,” an STV representative said. The media workers refused to comply and were beaten up, while their equipment was taken from them.
They were unsuccessful in their attempts to recover their equipment, which included two cameras, microphones and cables. Only when the police intervened was the equipment released. One of the cameras is reportedly damaged.
STV has indicated its intention to sue the security firm and seek compensation for the damage. The station noted that it would not waiver before intimidating acts from those who want to stop media outlets from exercising their rights as enshrined in the country’s constitution.
