(MISA/IFEX) – Editor Sebastiao Canjera, news editor Joao Mascarenhas, and reporter Pateque Francisco, of the community newspaper “Mabarwe”, all of whom had been detained on criminal libel charges since 3 May 2006, were released on 10 May. The journalists were jailed on the orders of the Manica provincial deputy attorney, Jose Abede, and charged with […]
(MISA/IFEX) – Editor Sebastiao Canjera, news editor Joao Mascarenhas, and reporter Pateque Francisco, of the community newspaper “Mabarwe”, all of whom had been detained on criminal libel charges since 3 May 2006, were released on 10 May.
The journalists were jailed on the orders of the Manica provincial deputy attorney, Jose Abede, and charged with libel following their publishing of a news item on the arrest of a local businessman, Tiago Pangaia. Pangaia was accused of stealing 70 head of cattle and spent three months in jail. However, he was released when prosecutors determined there was insufficient evidence to bring the case to trial. Pangaia sued the paper for libel soon after his release.
Since their arrest, MISA-Mozambique has actively sought to secure the release of the journalists through a public campaign, including audiences with the Manica chief attorney, Tomas Zandamela, and the Attorney General’s office. In the end, the Attorney General’s office gave the order to set the journalists free.
During this time, MISA-Mozambique also appealed to Mozambican civil society to denounce any similar case of intimidation of reporters.
“The task of informing the public should not be exercised on the basis of intimidation from anybody, whether politicians, judges, attorneys or those who imagine they hold special powers”, it said.
MISA-Mozambique’s Manica provincial chapter has expressed its gratitude to the residents of the Barue locality of Serra-Choa, who held a demonstration in front of the Barue district government offices, demanding the release of the three journalists.
On their release, the three journalists confirmed that they had not been ill-treated while in jail.
MISA-Mozambique insists that the journalists were jailed illegally. Although libel is a criminal offence in Mozambique, it is not one for which suspects can be held in preventive detention.
“Mabarwe” is a community newspaper published in Mozambique’s Barue district in Manica province.
