By Ricardo Dias
Maputo (MOZTIMES) – The municipal elections of 2023 almost tripled the number of press freedom violations, which rose from 11 in 2022 to 28 in the following year, according to the report from the Mozambican chapter of the regional press freedom body, MISA (Media Institute of Southern Africa).
“While in 2022, the MISA-Mozambique system to monitor violations of press freedom detected 11 cases, the number more than doubled in 2023, reaching 28 cases”, says the report “On the State of Press Freedom in Mozambique – 2024”.
According to MISA, eleven of the cases were related with the elections. Of these, five took place on polling day. A further four cases took place between polling day and the announcement of the final results by the Constitutional Council.
“The cases took on various forms, from repression and intimidations, to the removal of working equipment, and even physical attacks, including at least one death”, the report says.
The most common types of violations in 2023 were intimidation (six cases), and assault (five cases). There were four cyber-attacks, and four cases of interference in media coverage. There were two lawsuits and the murder was that of journalist João Chamusse.
MISA was concerned at the fact that there has been “no investigation with concrete results”, either by the Attorney-General’s Office (PGR) or by the National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic) .
In addition, threats were made against the Chairperson of the Board of TV Sucesso. And on 24 November, a vehicle of the Mozambican police (PRM) was parked in front of the same television station.
MISA also noted that acts endangering press freedom and the safety of journalists were also carried out by bodies that are not linked to the government, including opposition political parties.
“Members and supporters of the largest opposition party, Renamo, tried to prevent journalists from Televisão de Moçambique (TVM) and from TV Miramar from covering a march organised by Renamo in protest against acts of alleged election fraud committed by Frelimo and by staff of the election management bodies in Maputo city, MISA wrote.
Renamo accused the two television stations of not covering the elections in an objective and impartial manner and of covering up the alleged malpractices.
In 2023, the EIU Democracy Index, for the fifth consecutive year classified Mozambique as an authoritarian regime. This trend began in 2018, when Mozambique fell from the classification of hybrid democracy to that of authoritarian regime.
“Although Mozambique has been facing declines in the press freedom environment over the past decade, 2023 was particularly challenging for the journalists of this country. Thus in 2023, the state of Press Freedom in Mozambique continued its regressive trend. (RD)
