MOZAMBIQUE MEDIA FREEDOM
VIOLATIONS AND VICTORIES
The year that ended was characterised more by a high number of violations of press freedom and a few
victories won. Likewise, MISA had to intervene in a number of cases, providing legal support to journalists and their respective media houses.

February 2017

THREATENED
An official of the Beira Municipal
Council, by the name of Archanjo,
attempted to prevent the work of
a journalist from the Diário de
Moçambique who was reporting on a road accident; threatening the journalist in the following
terms: “You are very worried about
calling an ambulance, but ask for
two, because the other one will be
for you. You’d better get away from
here, otherwise you’ll regret it.”

March 2017

THREATENED
The editor of the newspaper @Verdade, Adérito Caldeira was summoned by the Attorney General’s
Office to provide a statement on a
case that he knew nothing about.
The Deputy Prosecutor asked him
to present the documents that
served as the source of information for the article in question.

7 April 2017

DETAINED
Detention of journalist Estácio Valoi in the city of Pemba, Cabo Delgado, while taking photographs of
a group of people on the occasion
of Mozambican Women’s Day, 7
April.

April 2017

VICTORY
A victory for freedom of the press,
with MISA and Daviz Simango
agreeing to withdraw the case
against the newspaper Diário de

Moçambique, after the intervention of the local MISA office.

12 May 2017

ASSAULTED
Journalist attacked by presidential guard in Nampula. The MISA
Mozambique office in Nampula
learned with justifiable concern
of the attack against journalist
Arlindo Chissale of the community radio and television station
of Nacala Porto, carried out by a
security agent of the President of
the Republic in Nacala Velha. At
the time of the aggression – which
took place on 12 May – Arlindo
Chissale was reporting on and taking photographs of the presidential
visit, using his mobile phone.

May 2017

THREATENED
Nacala Porto Community Radio
journalist Abdul Age was threatened by members of the Nacala
Sports Club management for allegedly publishing a news item about
the non-payment of two months’
salaries to players.

June 2017

CENSORED
Prohibition of coverage of the
trial of the ‘Chinese Bank’ case, a
problematic decision. MISA Mozambique received with justifiable
concern information that, at the
request of the defendants’ lawyer,
Flávio Menete, now a member of
the Bar Association, Televisão de
Moçambique had been prohibited from covering the court pro-

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