Two journalists working for Nigerian broadcaster News Central TV have been released after being detained by Mozambican authorities while covering protests in Maputo. Correspondent Bongani Siziba and cameraman Sbonelo Mkhasibe were arrested on November 14, 2024, alongside their translator, Mozambican journalist Charles Mangwiro.
News Central had reported the detention earlier on Friday and demanded their immediate release. After being freed, Siziba stated that they were blindfolded throughout their detention and surrounded by armed men.
We were blindfolded the whole time. Imagine when you are blindfolded, but you know around you are six guys holding guns. You don’t know your fate, what’s going to happen next, she narrated.
News Central condemned the arrest as a violation of press freedom and an attack on journalists’ rights to report freely. The station said it had struggled to establish contact with its staff after the arrest. However, the South African Consulate in Maputo and other diplomatic channels played a key role in their eventual release.
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) also called for an immediate explanation of the arrest and demanded the freedom of Siziba and Mkhasibe. The group strongly condemned the growing crackdown on journalists in Mozambique and stressed that reporting the news is not a crime.
The arrests occurred amid protests over Mozambique’s recent elections. The protests began after the ruling Frelimo party, which has governed Mozambique since 1975, claimed victory in the October 9 election. Opposition leader Venancio Mondlane has alleged electoral fraud and encouraged demonstrations. Human Rights Watch reported at least 30 deaths during the protests as security forces used force to suppress the voice of the demonstrators.
Journalists in Mozambique have increasingly become targets of arrests. On Thursday, two native journalists in Nampula were attacked by protesters after filming scenes of unrest. Earlier this month, two Portuguese journalists were expelled for allegedly working without proper visas. Rights groups warn that targeting the press further undermines democracy and accountability in Mozambique.
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