20 April 2008
Maputo — Mozambique's National Union of Journalists (SNJ) has denounced as a « flagrant violation » of the country's press law an attempt by members of the ruling Frelimo Party to prevent a reporter from a community radio station from doing his job.
A note from the SNJ secretariat says that on 14 April, Pedro Rafael, a reporter on the Mueda Community Radio and Television Station, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, attempted to cover a public meeting, held by Frelimo, in the coastal town of Mocimboa da Praia. But two officials, supposedly members of the local Frelimo district committee, confiscated his reporting equipment.
This act of theft occurred, even though Rafael had presented his credentials to the Mocimboa da Praia district administration (something that he was under no legal obligation to do).
Even worse, the two assailants began threatening Rafael, and tried - unsuccessfully - to take him to an "interrogation" away from the place where the meeting was being held.
According to the SNJ, district administrator Arcanjo Cassia confirmed Rafael's version of events, and regretted that he had been unable to intervene and prevent this violation of press freedom.
. The SNJ Executive « repudiates and condemns this act of intimidation carried out by the Frelimo Party in Mocimboa da Praia, because it is an assault against press freedom and against citizens' right to information", said the note.
What makes the situation even more absurd is that the Mueda Community Radio is owned by an official state body, the Mass Communications Institute (ICS), and that the Frelimo meeting, far from being anything secret, was part of the tour of the country by central committee members, preparing for the local elections to be held later this year, and announced by the Frelimo leadership well in advance.
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