A rights advocacy organization has urged Mozambique to look into claims that police used tear gas to scatter people during the funeral of well-known artist Edson da Luz, also known as Azagaia.
Azagaia was a vehement opponent of the administration. He passed away last week at the age of 38 at his Maputo home.
Social media footage showed police firing tear gas on a procession of mourners as it headed towards the official residence of the president – an area off limits to pedestrians.
The hearse carrying the rapper’s coffin was allowed to pass a police barricade, but pedestrians were forced to take an alternative route.
“An impartial investigation is needed to determine whether officers unnecessarily rushed to use tear gas and to hold them accountable,” said Ashwanee Budoo-Scholtz, the Deputy Director of the Africa Division at Human Rights Watch.
