Mozambique’s security forces unleashed a deadly campaign of violence against demonstrators following last year’s elections, according to a new report by Amnesty International.

0

The international rights organization says more than 300 people were killed and thousands more injured between October and January, citing accounts from local civil society groups.

1

The unrest followed the disputed general elections on October 9, in which Daniel Chapo of the ruling Frelimo party was declared winner. His victory drew immediate allegations of widespread fraud from opposition candidates and international observers.

2

Supporters of independent candidate Venancio Mondlane, backed by the opposition Podemos party, took to the streets in protest. Tensions escalated dramatically after Mondlane’s lawyer and a Podemos official were shot dead on October 18 in Maputo while sitting in a parked car. The killings, which Mondlane described as a political assassination, sparked further outrage. He called for “25 days of protests” — one for each bullet fired during the attack. Fearing for his life, Mondlane left Mozambique for two months and returned in January.

3

Amnesty’s investigation describes a pattern of excessive force used by both police and the army during the demonstrations, which were largely peaceful. Protesters and bystanders were reportedly fired upon with live bullets, rubber rounds, and tear gas.

4

“Police unlawfully used firearms and less lethal weapons, killing and injuring protesters and bystanders,” Amnesty said. “The army also used force and less lethal weapons recklessly and unlawfully.”

5

The report cites local group Plataforma DECIDE, which recorded at least 315 deaths between October 21 and January 16. That figure is more than triple the official count. Police have acknowledged 96 deaths, including 17 officers.

6

According to Amnesty, mass arrests were also carried out during the protests, targeting not only demonstrators but also random bystanders and minors. Plataforma DECIDE puts the number of arrests at more than 4,000, most of them reportedly arbitrary.

7

Amnesty further revealed evidence that internet service providers may have restricted access to platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram during key moments of the protests — a move viewed as an attempt to stifle communication.

8

The report is based on interviews with 28 individuals, including witnesses, family members of victims, medical personnel, and lawyers. Other rights organizations have also confirmed that children were among those killed.

9

Daniel Chapo was officially sworn in as president in January. In March, he met with Mondlane in a mediation effort and pledged to investigate the deaths linked to the protests.

10

Mozambique has been ruled by Frelimo since independence in 1975. The party has long faced accusations of election tampering, including putting loyalists in charge of key electoral bodies. A European Union observer report on the 2024 elections pointed to manipulated results, ballot stuffing, and invalidation of opposition votes.

11

Venancio Mondlane, formerly with the Renamo party — a former rebel group turned opposition — has emerged as one of the most prominent challengers to Frelimo’s rule. The protests in his favor have been described as the most significant threat to the party’s grip on power since the end of the civil war in 1992.

12

Although protests have waned since the crackdown, violence has not stopped. On Sunday, Joel Amaral, a key campaign figure for Mondlane, was shot three times — once in the head — in the coastal city of Quelimane. He remains in intensive care.

13