Rights group calls for justice for Mozambique protester shot in the eye – JURIST

Amnesty International urged Mozambican authorities on Monday to disclose the results of any investigation conducted in the case of Inocêncio Manhique, a protester who the group deemed to have suffered from unlawful use of force during a peaceful protest.

Manhique was shot in the eye with a rubber bullet by the police during a peaceful protest two years ago, yet he has not received justice to this day. This is despite his complaint to the Attorney General’s Office for compensation, and Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi’s announcement of investigations into the police action.

Previously, Amnesty International had also documented the “reckless and unlawful policing tactics” used during the protest, describing them as “an outrageous act of unfortunate policing against these defenseless protesters.” In its report, Amnesty International called on the authorities to promptly investigate the police officers who arrested protesters, and subjected them to beatings, to ensure they are held accountable for violating the human rights of the protesters.

Khanyo Farisè, the Deputy Regional Director of Amnesty International for East and Southern Africa, further stressed:

Inocêncio Manhique’s case is emblematic of the impunity that security forces enjoy in Mozambique. Indeed, security personnel have gone on to violently suppress peaceful assemblies, with reports of more than 300 people killed in the widespread crackdown on protests since last October’s elections.

Mozambique’s security forces have faced increasing scrutiny for their use of force in response to the public gatherings held in honor of the late Azagaia. Amnesty International’s statement comes two years after the Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on the Mozambican authorities to “promptly and impartially” investigate police use of teargas at Azagaia’s March 14 funeral procession.

HRW reported witness accounts of police misconduct while also emphasizing that the UN Basic Principles permit law enforcement to use force only when strictly necessary, and limited to what is essential for achieving a legitimate policing objective.

The peaceful march, involving more than 400 people, was organized to honor the late popular rapper, Edson da Luz, known as “Azagaia,” who passed away at his home two years ago due to a sudden illness. Azagaia was a prominent critic of Mozambique governance, creating songs such as “Povo no Poder” (Power to the People), and “Vampiros” (Vampires), a song that compared corrupt leaders to vampires. According to Quitéria Guirrengane, one of the activists who was involved in organizing the march, its objective was to convey the message that “independence is freedom.”