Overview
Following the presidential elections in Mozambique in October 2024, security forces used reckless and unnecessary force in a widespread crackdown on protests.
Instead of listening to people’s grievances and allowing them to voice their concerns, the government unleashed a wave of violence on demonstrations which resulted in serious injuries, unlawful deaths and a slew of other human rights violations. Our researchers documented the use of lethal weapons, tear gas and kinetic impact projectiles, commonly known as rubber bullets.
There is no justification for this reckless use of force.
Learn more about policing and human rights
Have you ever wondered about the critical role of police during protests? Are you curious about the rules governing the use of force and firearms by police officials?
What sparked protests in Mozambique?
Protests were sparked by the contested results of the 9 October 2024 general elections, with the opposition alleging widespread irregularities in the voting process. When the National Election Commission published its preliminary results on 13 October, the opposition pointed to significant flaws.
This led to calls for a national labour strike on 21 October. The situation escalated on 19 October, when key opposition figures were shot dead just 2 days before the protests were set to begin. In response, the opposition called for a series of protests, but these were met with violent repression by security forces.
Despite isolated incidents of violence by some protestors, the protests were largely peaceful. Since the beginning of the protests in October 2024, monitoring groups reported over 380 people killed, including children and bystanders.
In addition, civil society organizations also documented over 3,500 injured, and more than 4,000 were detained. The widespread repression, along with internet restrictions and restrictions on social media, fueled anger, intensifying the protests.
How did the government of Mozambique respond to the protests?
Amnesty’s new report Protest under attack: Human rights violations during Mozambique’s post-2024 election crackdown, launched on 16 April examines human rights violations by units of the Mozambican security forces, in relation to the protests between 21 October 2024 and 24 January 2025, as well as possible human rights abuses by internet service providers It found that instead of protecting the right to peaceful assembly, authorities cracked down on nationwide protests and responded with unlawful use of force, mass arbitrary arrests and suppression of information.
In October and November 2024, the Mozambican government moved to limit internet access. Internet service providers blocked or lowered access to their services at key moments during the wave of protests, including blocking users from accessing Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, limiting people’s ability to seek, receive and impart information.
As the protests continued, the Mozambican army was deployed, which led to additional unlawful uses of force against protestors.
Unlawful use of force
Amnesty International found that Mozambican police used reckless, unnecessary and excessive force against protesters. Mozambican police unlawfully used firearms and less lethal weapons, killing and injuring protesters and bystanders. This was in violation of human rights norms and standards.
Amnesty International’s Digital Verification Corps and Crisis Evidence Lab verified 105 videos and photos that showed evidence of the use of lethal and less lethal weapons by security forces in the context of the protests. Amnesty International identified the use of lethal weapons, such as AK-pattern rifles and handguns, as well as less-lethal weapons, such as single and multi-shot 37/38mm launchers that fired tear gas grenades and kinetic impact projectiles (KIPs, popularly known as “rubber bullets”).
In addition, several videos show that shotguns have been widely used against protesters, in some cases loaded with metal pellets, which are highly inaccurate and excessively harmful and therefore law enforcement officials should be prohibited by law from using them against persons.
The police’s unlawful use of force resulted in deaths and serious injuries to victims, including permanent disabilities in some cases. Such serious injuries can impact the ability of victims to care for their families or themselves. A supporter of former presidential opposition candidate, the father of eight children, who was injured by police gunfire in October, said: I used to farm, agriculture. Now I have no means to do that; I have to be cared for, and even farming is really difficult now.
Case Study: Mano Shottas
Blogger shot and killed while livestreaming the police’s actions
Warning: This story contains descriptions of violence, firearms and death.
Albino José Síbia, also known as Mano Shottas, 30-years-old, was shot and killed on 12 December 2024, while livestreaming the police’s actions in the border town of Ressano Garcia, in Moamba district, Maputo province.
During his 51-minute-long Facebook livestream, Mano Shottas points to white smoke coming out of a building and says that there are children in the house. Then sounds of gunshots are heard…He is heard saying: “I was shot, guys. I’ve been shot. Help! Help! I was hit on my back. I can’t turn.” He turns the camera to himself and says, “Guys, I’ve been shot. They keep shooting.”
On 14 December 2024, at least two people were killed, and several were injured while attending Mano Shottas’s funeral, according to local media. Mano Shottas left behind a widow and a 2-year-old child.
Case Study: Puku
Shot dead the day he was attending the Blogger’s funeral
Warning: This story contains descriptions of violence, firearms and death.
Abel Timane, also known as Puku, 25 years-old, said the final goodbye to his wife at around 2:00 PM, telling her he was going to attend Mano Shottas’ funeral on 14 December, and never returned home.
Puku was shot by security forces whilst attending the funeral of Mano Shottas.
He was on his way to the hospital, but it was too late. Puku died.
The images and videos Amnesty International reviewed showed Puku lying in an open truck after he was shot, with others trying to encourage him. ‘We are on our way to the hospital, brother, don’t sleep. Puku, wake up, don’t sleep, we are on our way to the hospital,’ one of them shouted, but Puku was no longer responding. His eyes were continuously open, no longer blinking. His funeral was held the next day, at the Ressano Garcia cemetery.
As the protests continued, the Mozambican army was deployed, which led to additional unlawful uses of force against protestors.
Learn more about policing and human rights
Have you ever wondered about the critical role of police during protests? Are you curious about the rules governing the use of force and firearms by police officials?
Mass arbitrary arrests
Police carried out mass arbitrary arrests of protesters and bystanders, including children as young as 14 years old, and detained them in police stations across the country.
Between 21 October 2024 and 16 January 2025, local civil society organizations documented over 4000 people arrested and detained in the context of the protests. Same groups reported that the overwhelming majority of the detainees have been released following intervention by lawyers. Lawyers told Amnesty International that while some of the arrests and detentions were lawful and protesters were charged with crimes, including assault and destruction of property, most were arbitrary.
The lawyers, who had firsthand experience responding to dozens, if not hundreds, of arrests, told Amnesty International that most persons were arrested without suspicion of committing crimes.
A 35-year-old vendor, told Amnesty International that, on 6 December 2024, between six to eight police officers of the Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR) snatched him from the streets in Maputo, put him in the back of a van, used his T-shirt to blindfold him and started driving around town, all the while kicking and beating him, threatening to kill him and accusing him of protesting. He recounted:.
“They continued driving. I didn’t know where we were going. … [When we arrived at the UIR headquarters], they took me out of the car and had to help me. I couldn’t do it myself. … I could hear different voices from the voices I was hearing before. Someone said: Here is one of the protesters. I told them I am not a protester; I was at the market doing business. … They started beating me on my back, my buttocks, in the middle of my back and my spine.”
What is Amnesty International doing to help?
As the situation in Mozambique evolves, our researchers and campaigners remain committed to documenting human rights abuses and violations. We work with local civil society organizations and individuals, providing technical support and amplifying their work. We share our findings with the world and uncover the truth.
We are campaigning for the government to take action, combat impunity and break the cycle of human rights violations
The Mozambican government obliged to take effective action to combat impunity by ensuring that all allegations of killings, bodily harm, arbitrary arrests and detention, and other human rights violations by law enforcement officials in the context of these protests are thoroughly and impartially investigated, and those suspected of criminal responsibility are prosecuted in fair trials. The government must also provide victims with effective remedies including adequate reparation for t the harm that they, and their families, endured.. obliged to take effective action to combat impunity by ensuring that all allegations of killings, bodily harm, arbitrary arrests and detention, and other human rights violations by law enforcement officials in the context of these protests are thoroughly and impartially investigated, and those suspected of criminal responsibility are prosecuted in fair trials. The government must also provide victims with effective remedies, including adequate reparation for t the harm that they, and their families, endured..
None of the victims of human rights violations or the families of killed or injured protesters or bystanders have yet received compensation. Neither has anyone been held accountable for these violations. All want justice, and that’s why your voice can make a difference by calling for justice and accountability so perpetrators are held accountable for their actions and human rights violations are not normalized.
When there is no accountability, human rights violations become normalized, and the cycle of violence continues, driven by impunity. A system that allows impunity is a system that enables human rights violations. Justice must be served.
Learn more about policing and human rights
Have you ever wondered about the critical role of police during protests? Are you curious about the rules governing the use of force and firearms by police officials?