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 3^rd 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 1 494 264

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 1 492 758

or

Fax: + 258 1 492 800

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.