Human rights and the police

In 1999 it appeared that the incidence of torture and extrajudicial executions at the hands of the police in Mozambique was declining. However, new cases of torture have been reported in 2000 (see AI Index AFR 41/01/00). The case of Tomás Nhacumba and Gildo Bata gives further cause for deep concern about the violation of human rights by the police.

Complaints about alleged police misconduct may be made to the relevant police station or to the Procurator General's office. In the past, inquiries into human rights violations by police have been marred by police attempts to cover up their midconduct and judicial inquiries have been slow. This has inculcated a sense of impunity.

Following Mozambique's first multi-party elections in October 1994, it was decided to restructure and retrain the police. In 1997 a project was agreed. Under the coordination of the government and the United Nations Development Program, members of the Spanish Civil Guard trained 66 police instructors who, between 1997 and the end of 1999, retrained about 4,100 officers. Originally, the whole police force — more than 18,500 officers — were to be retrained, but the project was scaled down to about 4,500 officers because of lack of funding.

By 1999, police patrols were more frequently seen in the streets of Maputo, and police salaries had been increased. Other reforms included the appointment of magistrates attached to the Procurator General's office to review and confirm detentions within 48 hours of arrest.

Despite economic growth in recent years, Mozambique has remained one of the poorest countries in the world. The floods which occurred in early 2000 severely damaged the infrastructure and economy. It is vital that further efforts are made to put an end to corruption within the police and to ensure that officers are trained in the observance of human rights standards. The case of Tomás Nhacumba and Gildo Bata shows that action is urgently needed to eliminate the practice of torture and extrajudicial execution by the police.

Amnesty International May 2000