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Journalists covering the conflict involving an armed Islamist group in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, were arrested.
Amade Abubacar, a journalist who interviewed villagers displaced by insurgents, was arrested by the army and banned all outside contact for 13 days last month. Abubacar was later released and handed over to the civilian authorities.
"The Mozambican government's actions to silence the media in Cabo Delgado prevent the public from closely monitoring military operations and allegations of violations," said the director for South Africa at Human Rights Watch, Dewa Mavhinga.
Abubacar was arrested on 5 January and detained in a military barracks in Mueda district where soldiers reportedly beat and abused him. He also was denied access to a lawyer or family members in captivity.
He was later charged with "violation of state secrets" and "public incitement to commit a crime".
However, under Mozambican law, the military is forbidden to keep prisoners in barracks and detainees must be immediately handed over to the police. Police arrest and charge, or release suspects within 48 hours.
More captive cases
– An editor in Nampula (who asked not to be identified for security reasons) has been arrested twice since last September. He was held at military checkpoints for several hours and was threatened with death when it was discovered that he was lying to explain his presence.
– A Zimbabwean journalist was arrested by army soldiers on June 30, 2018 in Temba, accompanied by his driver and his interpreter, while he was interviewing locals in public. The soldiers took him to the nearest police station, where he was kept while contact with the outside was denied. He was later released without charge.
– In June 2018, a BBC Africa team was denied accreditation to work in Cabo Delgado.
– On July 10, 2018, three members of an international news agency were detained for a few hours in the district of Mocímboa da Praia. Upon arrival at the police station, their memory cards were removed and their photos removed from their cameras.
– Two journalists from Cabo Delgado have been warned against any information about events in some villages, unless "government officials are visited". One of the reporters was threatened by a member of the police investigation unit. The reporter said: "A member of the police investigation unit told me that I should stop driving myself like a brave man if I loved my life and my family. "
– On 17 December, a journalist, an academic and a driver were arrested in Mocímboa da Praia after interrogating residents of the village of Chitolo. The academic said 15 army soldiers had taken them to improvised barracks where about 80 soldiers were camped at Quelimane Elementary School while the school was still functioning. They were interrogated for several hours and their cameras and mobile phones were searched and confiscated.
"By obstructing the media in Cabo Delgado, the government is trying to prevent Mozambicans from learning what both parties to the conflict are doing," Mavhinga said.
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