Amnesty International calls for end to crackdown on protesters in Mozambique

Nairobi — 

Amnesty International is calling connected the Mozambican authorities to halt its crackdown connected protesters challenging the results of past month’s elections. At slightest 20 radical person been killed successful post-election violence, according to quality rights groups.

Demonstrators rallied again connected Thursday, burning tires and blocking streets. Police fired teardrop state astatine hundreds of protesters successful the capital, Maputo.

Cidia Chissungo, who works with Amnesty International, said tensions are precocious successful Mozambique.

"There are cases of radical that person already been shot. We cannot corroborate however galore died this morning. We inactive person to analyse each the grounds we are receiving,” Chissungo said. “There are dozens of radical being arrested not lone successful Maputo but besides successful Nyambane province. We person cases of constabulary utilizing rubber bullets, arsenic well. So, determination is monolithic hostility today, and cipher knows however this volition end."

The October 9 ballot extended the regularisation of the Frelimo Party, which has led the confederate African state for 50 years. Frelimo campaigner Daniel Chapo was declared the victor of the statesmanlike predetermination with much than 70% of the vote.

Opposition parties, civilian nine groups and electoral observers said the predetermination was unfair and rigged successful favour of Frelimo — allegations that Frelimo denies.

Chissungo said information forces indispensable halt convulsive crackdowns against demonstrators and code their grievances.

"Police should respect people's close to protest. There are cases of radical conscionable lasting connected the streets, and constabulary decided to instrumentality them, and determination are hundreds who person been arrested,” Chissungo said. “If radical are demanding and are criticizing the government, and they are saying they request clarification implicit the election, it is for the authorities to perceive and respect people's rights to talk retired if they deliberation determination is thing wrong, and not sprout astatine protesters."

Human Rights Watch has called for the authorities to assistance net restrictions, which person further fueled a cognition that authorities are trying to stifle the protests.

Allan Ngari, HRW's Africa advocacy director, said deficiency of net entree and societal media networks hinders people's rights.

"Sometimes it is working, sometimes it is not working. So, it is not an full shutdown, but it is, rather, restrictions. And we [are] of the presumption that this violates aggregate rights, including rights to state of speech, peaceful protests and from entree to information,” Ngari said. “But also, the net has go a root of employment, concern for people, and those who are impacted past by this regularisation cannot marque a surviving anymore."

Mozambique's net was moving Thursday, to the astonishment of galore aft days of interruptions.

But arsenic tensions rise, South Africa closed its main borderline crossing with Mozambique connected Wednesday for information reasons. The South African authorities besides warned its citizens not to question to Mozambique.