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Human rights violations continue in Mozambique

- Right2Protest Project, CALS, Plataforma da Sociedade Civil Para Monitoria Eleitoral

CALS supports the Right2Protest Project's call for addressing human rights violations in response to post-election violence in Mozambique

Right2Protest welcomes the adoption of the Political Commitment for an Inclusive Dialogue (Compromisso Político para o Diálogo Nacional Inclusivo), a vital step toward addressing protesters’ calls for constitutional and political reform in response to the post-election violence of October 2024. We urge that past and ongoing human rights violations be placed at the centre of these processes, as addressing unrest requires political interventions that are reflect the demands of the people and lay the foundation for a just and equitable Mozambique.

The Right2Protest Project unequivocally condemns the ongoing arbitrary arrests, police and military brutality, and killings of protestors in Mozambique. In the wake of the 2024 general elections outcomes, Mozambicans have taken to the streets to demand accountability for election-related corruption. This surge of protest reflected a long-standing dissatisfaction with an administration that has clung to power despite widespread mobilization, particularly among youth advocating for effective governance and a reversal of the nation’s deteriorating socio-economic and political landscape.

In response to these peaceful protests, security forces have employed excessive force, including the discharge of live ammunition, unlawful detentions, and targeted killings of demonstrators and human rights defenders. Despite these violent crackdowns, the public continues to seek justice through the judiciary and other accountability mechanisms. Unfortunately, Right2Protest’s local partners in Mozambique have struggled to gain adequate attention and support from regional human rights bodies, including the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights in holding the Mozambican government accountable for these egregious violations.

We cannot turn a blind eye to this crisis. The ongoing repression in Mozambique poses not only a national crisis but also a regional threat to democracy, human rights, and the fundamental right to the freedom of assembly. Our solidarity must translate into practical actions in this critical political moment, as authoritarian practices continue to undermine our democratic values. The continuation of failing to hold governments in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) accountable for human rights violations, particularly in the absence of the SADC Tribunal Court, continues to erode the checks and balances within the region. This situation makes it increasingly difficult for those defending civil freedoms and space.We vehemently condemn the Mozambican government's efforts to suppress dissent through internet shutdowns, violent crackdowns, and the targeted persecution of activists. We call for decisive action from the South African government to intervene in these human rights violations and to denounce the deliberate killings and attacks on protesters.

Solidarity must extend beyond rhetoric; it requires action. We urge:

  • South African civil society organisations and NGOs to actively support Mozambican protesters and human rights defenders.
  • Regional and international allies to assist with providing urgent legal support required such as representations for bail applications and legal defense in respect of trials.
  • Furthermore financial assistance for activists facing repression. Governments in SADC, AU and the African Commission to intervene and hold the Mozambican government accountable for human rights violations in accordance with the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
  • Legal networks and human rights organizations to document cases, enhance the capacity of local organizations for evidence collection, and ensure accountability through regional and international mechanisms.
  • Human Rights Defenders and social movements across the continent to amplify the voices of Mozambican protesters, challenge the normalization of state violence, and organize direct actions in solidarity.

This call to action extends beyond Mozambique; it encompasses the future of our entire region. Allowing state repression to persist unchallenged undermines the democratic values for which we have diligently advocated.

As Mozambique embarks on a process of national dialogue and political reform, we call on all stakeholders including those tasked with leading the inclusive dialogue to ensure that justice, accountability, and the protection of human rights are not sidelined. The political dialogue must not be symbolic or procedural; it must serve as a transformative space that responds to the demands of the people, centers victims of state violence, and reimagines a future where rights and freedoms are protected and respected.

Now is the critical moment for decisive and practical solidarity.

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From the Right2Protest Project:

From DECIDE:

The Right2Protest Project is a coalition of civil society organisations committed to promoting and protecting the constitutional right to protest in South Africa.

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