Africa-Press – Mozambique. The Mozambique chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa Institute (MISA), an organisation that defends media freedom across the region, on Thursday condemned attacks on four journalists by municipal police officers in the country’s northern province of Nampula.
“MISA Mozambique learnt with perplexity of the physical aggression against four journalists by police officers of the Nampula municipal police around 2 p.m. this Tuesday,” the organisation said in a statement sent to the media.
According to the organisation, the journalists were assaulted while investigating the alleged illegal detention of three people by the municipal police, and had gone to the corporation’s premises to understand the situation.
They were, according to MISA, “met with insults and physical aggression carried out by the commander and head of operations, in the company of the other members of the force.”
The police officers also briefly held onto the camera of one of the journalists, and the motorcycle of another journalist was also taken from him, with its whereabouts currently unknown.
“The officers did not take the time to listen to us to understand our concern,” said Simão Mugas, one of the journalists, quoted in the MISA statement. “They accused us of defaming and tarnishing the reputation of the police.”
MISA Mozambique rejects any act of violence against journalists, noting that freedom of expression, press freedom and access to sources of information are rights enshrined in the country’s constitution.
“MISA reiterates that it is the duty of the police authorities to protect and never attack journalists, so all measures will be taken to hold the aggressors accountable,” it concluded.
Lusa has attempted to contact the Nampula municipal police but had no response.
