More than 1,000 files documenting alleged police violence handed over to PGR

Maputo, 10 Sep AIM) – One of Mozambique’s prominent NGOs, the “Decide” Electoral Platform, on Wednesday handed over to the country’s Attorney General’s Office (PGR) more than 1,000 files documenting alleged acts of police violence during the 2024-2025 post-election mass demonstrations.

The mass demonstration – called by the former presidential candidate and leader of the National Alliance for a Free and Autonomous Mozambique (Anamola) Venancio Mondlane to protest against the fraudulent results of the general elections held in October 2024 – started peacefully but then degenerated into rioting.

The delivery of these files takes place at a moment when Mondlane was summoned by the Supreme Court for a trial scheduled for next October, accused of having committed the following crimes: public apology for a crime, incitement to collective disobedience, public instigation to crime, instigation and incitement to terrorism. Recently, the Council of State, the advising body to the Mozambican President, decided to lift Mondlane’s immunity in order to allow him to stand trial.

This is the most highly anticipated moment in the country, given that Mondlane is effectively the leading opposition figure, as a result of his political prominence and the crowds that attend his rallies across the nation.

According to Wilker Dias, “Decide” executive director, speaking to reporters after shortly leaving the PGR, the device containing 1,137 files, including videos and photographs, was submitted as part of proceedings underway at the PGR regarding deaths, torture and disappearances allegedly recorded during the post-election mass demonstrations.

Dias explained that the files are also aimed at strengthening the criminal complaint presented by civil society organizations against the former Interior Minister, Pascoal Ronda, and former police command, Bernardino Rafael.

“These are videos that prove, in various parts of the country, the atrocities committed by police officers throughout this process. This time we launched a campaign on social media to collect more videos than those we already had. We managed to collect more than 500 additional videos, which will be incorporated into the case filed against Bernardino Rafael and also Pascoal Ronda,” he explained.

“What we hope is that this time the files will strengthen and speed up the proceedings”, he added.

The executive director also explained that the case has been developing faster in the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights but stagnated in the PGR.

“At the moment, the international case is more advanced than the national case. The authorities have attributed the delays to the complexity of the investigations, which involve interviewing witnesses in various parts of the country, but he alleged that the PRM’s lack of cooperation has also hindered progress in the case”, he said.

According to the statistics collated by “Decide”, the police shot dead about 400 people while 619 others were injured by gunshots during the five months of unrest that began on 21 October 2024.

Am/