Maputo — Mozambique's Network of Human Rights Defenders (RMDDH) has condemned the detention of a human rights activist, Joaquim Pachoneia, in the northern city of Nampula.
According to an RMDDH statement, Pachoneia's detention was "illegal and arbitrary'. He was detained without any arrest warrant or a formal accusation, which means that "the Mozambican Police (PRM) acted against human rights.'
"It was possible to ascertain that the activist is being held at the Provincial Police Command n Nampula, without, to date, having been formally informed of the legal grounds for his deprivation of liberty. He has not been shown any arrest warrant or told of the existence of a formal accusation', reads the RMDDH document.
The activist, also known as Jota Pachoneia, was detained on Friday in front of the Urbanization and Land Management Department of the Nampula Municipal Council, as seen in a video that went viral on social media.
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According to RMDDH, Pachoneia remained without food for approximately 24 hours. He only had "his first meal after a visit from family members and the RMDDH Provincial coordinator, a circumstance that contributed to the worsening of his psychological distress.'
"Regardless of the reasons that may have motivated the detention, it is imperative that legal procedures be rigorously respected, namely the presentation of the arrest warrant, the clear communication of the reasons for the deprivation of liberty, and the guarantee of his fundamental rights, including the right to legal assistance and information about the police station or unit to which he would be taken', reads the document.
The organization explains that the lack of transparency and disregard for legal procedures undermine the democratic rule of law and the freedom of action of human rights defenders.
The RMDDH is calling for full respect for fundamental rights. "We also demand effective guarantees of protection for human rights defenders in Mozambique, to ensure that they can freely carry out their work without intimidation, persecution, or reprisals', it adds.
