Human Lives Human Rights: The Mozambican police is carrying out a violent repression of nationwide peaceful protesters, who remember the fallen musician Azagaia.
The Mozambican police’s heavy-handed response to these peaceful demonstrations, includes beating up protesters with baton sticks, causing them injuries, which is an outrageous act of unfortunate policing against these defenseless protesters.
Police has been aiming to suppress the demonstrations, with the intention of belittling Azagaia legacy in Mozambique.
Police’s actions, seen beating up protesters are a disturbing pattern of reckless and unlawful tactics against people during the protests.
The human rights organization demand that the police must refrain from further targeting of protesters, including arbitrarily arresting them and engaging in retaliatory violence against the peaceful protesters.
Authorities must swiftly investigate police who arrested people in Maputo and subjected them to beating and ensure that they are brought to account for violating the human rights of protesters including international law.
Background
Mozambican youths were participating in authorized nationwide peaceful demonstrations in five provinces, including in Maputo, to remember the fallen artist, Azagaia.
Azagaia, who inspired many with his music, sang about injustice, including mistreatment of people by the authorities and poverty and social injustice and urged people to hold their authorities to account. He died suddenly on 9 March 2023.
The police acted violently and unlawfully towards the protesters in locations such as Maputo in the morning of 18 March. Seven protesters and organizers have been arrested and detained in Maputo, Gaza, Inhambane, Sofala and Nampula so far and police are understood to be calling others and threatening them for their involvement in the protests.
Governments around the world are cracking down on protests and it must be protected.
