Document - Mozambique: Denial of medical treatment / Fear of extrajudicial execution- Amir Ali Mahomed (m), 25 years

PUBLIC AI Index: AFR 41/001/2002

UA 47/02 Denial of medical treatment / 13 February 2002
Fear of extrajudicial execution

MOZAMBIQUE Amir Ali Mahomed (m), 25 years old


Amir Ali Mahomed is in urgent need of medical treatment after reportedly being shot in the head by police officers. He is currently being held at Machava prison in the Mozambican capital Maputo, but prison officials have failed to ensure that he is transferred to hospital.

Amir Ali Mohamed was initially arrested on 6 January, in connection with a car theft, and was held for a week at two different police stations. Throughout this time he remained hand-cuffed as police officers claimed that they had lost the keys to the hand-cuffs. On 14 January he was taken to the local fire-station, where he had his hand-cuffs cut off. He was then driven by three policemen to the Mavalane suburb of Maputo, where he was reportedly shot twice in the head and left for dead.

Local residents alerted his family, who took him to Maputo central hospital. The same evening, police officers arrived at the hospital and arrested his wife and three other members of his family. They were detained overnight and released the following evening. No credible justification was given for their arrest.

Amir Ali Mohamed remained in hospital until 20 January and was then transferred to the 3rd esquadra (squadron) police station. The following day he was transferred to Machava prison. Although he received some treatment in hospital, at least one bullet is said to be still lodged in his head. He reportedly can hardly speak and is not able to walk. In Machava prison, he was seen by a doctor who said he should go back to hospital for further treatment.

In recent months there have been several reports of detainees being removed from their place of custody and being extrajudicially executed by police officers. They include three detainees who were reportedly shot by police in December 2001.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Portuguese or your own language:
- urging the prison authorities to ensure Amir Ali Mahomed is immediately transferred to hospital and receives any medical treatment he requires;
- expressing deep concern at the reported shooting of Amir Ali Mohamed by police officers and urging an immediate investigation into his shooting, and the reported shooting of other detainees in recent months, with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice;
- expressing concern at the apparently arbitrary arrest of members of Amir Ali Mohamed's family on 14 January.

APPEALS TO:

Minister of Justice
Sua Excelência Ibraimo Abudo
Ministro da Justiça
Ministério da Justiça
Avenida Julius Nyerere 33
Maputo
República de Moçambique
Telegrams: Ministro da Justiça, Maputo, República de Moçambique
Fax: + 258 1 492 106
Salutation: Sua Excelência/Dear Minister

Attorney General
Exmo. Sr. Dr. Joaquim Luis Madeira
Procurador Geral da República
Procuradoria Geral da República
Maputo
República de Moçambique
Telegrams: Procurador Geral da República, Maputo, República de Moçambique
Fax: + 258 1 491 011
Salutation: Excelentíssimo Senhor/Dear Attorney General

Commander General of the Mozambican Police
Exmo. Sr. Miguel dos Santos
Comandante-geral
Polícia da República de Moçambique (PRM)
Comando Geral da Polícia
Maputo
República de Moçambique
Telegrams: Comandante-geral Polícia da República de Moçambique (PRM), Maputo, República de Moçambique
Fax: + 258 1 431 048
Salutation: Excelentíssimo Senhor/Dear Commander General

Director of Machava Security Prison
Exmo. Sr. Director
Cadeia de Segurança
Quartel de Machava
Maputo
República de Moçambique
Salutation: Excelentíssimo Senhor/Dear Sir

and to diplomatic representatives of Mozambique accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 27 March 2002.

Amnesty International, International Secretariat, 1 Easton Street, WC1X 0DW, London, United Kingdom