The Mozambican non-governmental organization (NGO) Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD) accuses the police of gross violations of the fundamental rights of two citizens detained on suspicion of involvement in the murder of journalist Joao Chamous.
The CDD statement said the 48-hour period within which the two men were supposed to be presented for initial questioning by the investigating judge was exceeded and the detainees were denied access to a lawyer appointed by the NGO.
“The procedures for detaining those allegedly responsible for the death of journalist João Chamouse grossly violate the rights of the detainee and the timing of the first interrogation,” the note says.
In the case of suspect Nelson Jonas, he is in a situation of illegal arrest because from the time of his arrest until now, he was not presented to the investigating judge within 48 hours for the first interrogation, as required by law, the note said. .
For Alfredo Pundana, the 48-hour period ends this Monday, according to the CDD.
The NGO criticizes the silence of the prosecutor’s office regarding alleged violations committed by police management, stressing that “it has not yet commented on any of the situations.”
The CDD accuses the head of the operations department of the above-mentioned command of accusing the lawyer appointed by the NGO at the request of the family of one of the detainees of trying to politicize the case.
This Monday, several dozen Mozambican journalists marched in Maputo against “impunity” for crimes against class. The march culminated in the submission of a petition to the Office of the Attorney General (PGR).
“We have left a petition asking for strong action from the public prosecutor’s office regarding crimes against media workers,” said Jeremias Langa, president of the Institute of Social Communications of South Africa (Misa Moçambique), the non-governmental organization that called for the march. moments after submitting the document.
The march was also called to demand clarification on the case of Joao Chamus, a Mozambican journalist and television commentator who died on Thursday at his home in Maputo under circumstances that are still unclear.
“We left another document, which is a criminal statement against unknown persons (…) In fact, we came here to leave an appeal to the prosecutor’s office with a request to fulfill their duties as the holder of a criminal case, to conduct a serious investigation. and this allows us to achieve material truth,” noted Jeremias Langa.
Singing hymns praising freedom of speech and the press, the group, also made up of activists, walked approximately two kilometers from Avenida Vladimir Lenine to PGR, shouting in unison: “Chamusse, your voice will not be silenced,” in tribute to the dead Mozambican journalist.
Joao Chamus, 59, was found dead on Thursday in the backyard of his residence in Nsima, Maputo province, without clothes and with a wound on the back of his head.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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