Maputo, 11 Oct (AIM) – Mozambique’s National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) has demanded accountability for those who ordered the detention of six students living at the residence of the Maputo School of Nautical Sciences whom the police had attempted to charge with the crime of disobedience.
The six students, acquitted on Monday by the Court in the Kampfumo Municipal District of Maputo for lack of evidence, were detained after the Nautical School students protested against their living conditions, and attempted to march on the office of Transport Minister Mateus Magala.
According to the CNDH president, Luis Bitone, the students were detained without an arrest warrant. He argued this meant that the detentions were illegal, and an exercise in the abuse of power.
“The Attorney-General’s Office (PGR) must hold those responsible for these arrests to account”, said Bitone, cited in Wednesday’s issue of the independent daily “O Pais”.
“Clear crimes have been committed, such as usurpation of power, and abuse of power by identified officials who have even been called to court. So there must be criminal accountability”, he declared
According to Bitone, the procedures for the arrest of the students were not respected, because ‘there was no arrest warrant, and the measure was ordered by a police agent who did not have the legal power to arrest them”
The students were kept in police custody and the accused were not informed about the causes of their arrest, he added.
The CNDH President also criticised the PGR for failing to prevent the illegal detention of the students.
(AIM)
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