Venâncio Mondlane called this Tuesday for two more days of strike and “peaceful” national demonstration in Mozambique, after the murder of his lawyer and representative of his party.
At least 18 people were arrested on Monday in clashes between police and protesters in the city of Beira, in central Mozambique, three of whom have since been released, the corporation announced on Tuesday.
“After 24 hours of demonstrations that took place throughout the country, we, the Police of the Republic of Mozambique [PRM] In Sofala we had 18 people detained in relation to the demonstrations,” the corporation’s spokesperson in that province, Dércio Chacate, told reporters.
He added that, based on the checks carried out during the arrests, the police found that three people were outside the demonstrations and they were released.
“The other 15 remain detained in connection with these acts of demonstrations and vandalism,” he said.
The police describe the acts committed by the detainees as vandalism: “What happened yesterday cannot be called a demonstration.” [segunda-feira]but “an act of vandalism and disruption of public order and security”said.
At least 30 people were arrested in clashes between police and protesters in the city of Maputo, five of whom were released after the assistance of the Mozambique Bar Association (OAM), a source from that institution informed Lusa on Tuesday.
Vitor da Fonseca, responsible for justice assistance and human rights of the OAM Provincial Council, told Lusa that the order currently has a record of “30 arrests in the city of Maputo, of which five have already been released and the rest of his companions are still on trial.”
The PRM has not yet commented so far on the arrests made during clashes with protesters in Maputo on Monday.
The Mozambique Bar Association made available, on Monday, a list of contacts of the entity’s professionals to provide assistance to victims of illegal detentions during the demonstrations condemning the double murder of Venâncio Mondlane’s supporters, called by the presidential candidate himself.
According to Vitor da Fonseca, the OAM indicates that it has received at least 100 calls for assistance throughout the country related to alleged arrests during the demonstrations.
“They talk about riot crimes, where there is a group of people with the intention of perpetuating an illegal act.“said the person in charge, mentioning the accusations against most of the detainees.
The order received a total of 29 requests for support on Monday and one this Tuesday following the clashes that also left 16 injured, five still hospitalized, in the Mozambican capital, according to the Maputo Central Hospital (HCM).
On Friday night, Elvino Dias, lawyer for Venâncio Mondlane, presidential candidate on the 9th, and Paulo Guambe, representative of Podemos, the party that supports him, were shot dead in Maputo.
After the double murder, Venâncio Mondlane, who questions the preliminary results of the elections, which do not give him victory, called for peaceful marches in Mozambique on Monday, which were dispersed with shots in the air and tear gas in Maputo.
The police response to the protests was condemned by the international community and there were several calls for restraint from both sides, namely Portugal, the European Union and the African Union.
This Tuesday, the capital of Mozambique tries to return to normality, with operational transport and traffic queues on the main streets of the city, with police reinforcements visible after the violent clashes of the previous day.
Presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane called this Tuesday for two more days of strike and “peaceful” national demonstration in Mozambique starting on Thursday, the day on which the National Electoral Commission (CNE) announces the results of the general elections.
Source: Observadora
