The International Press Institute (IPI) defended the independence of media regulatory bodies in Mozambique, considering it "urgent" to safeguard media freedom in the country.

"Mozambique must urgently take concrete measures to safeguard press freedom (...) This should include the independence of regulatory bodies," indicates the preliminary analysis sent to Lusa by the organization, which conducted a four-day working visit to the country.

For IPI, the Mozambican media operate under an "uncertain and confusing" legal environment and with regulatory institutions dependent on the government, a situation that contributes to "increasing restrictions on press freedom."

"The media are also subject to strong control by the government information office, known as the Information Office (Gabinfo), which is under the auspices of the Prime Minister's office. This is especially evident in the area of journalist accreditation, which Gabinfo uses as a tool to control the press," the IPI analysis states.

Although there is a debate in the country about the bills to update the 1991 Press Law, according to IPI, the changes would be "a major setback for press freedom" in that, according to the organization, the changes do not establish media independence.

"Of paramount importance is to ensure that any media regulatory body is fully independent of government - including with respect to the procedures for appointing members of the body - and has a clearly defined mandate under the law," the organization adds.

The institute also calls on the Mozambican authorities to investigate attacks against journalists and media outlets to "avoid impunity" and ensure compliance with international standards on the safety of professionals.

"Under international law, all states have a duty to investigate attacks on journalists promptly, thoroughly, independently and prosecute those responsible," the institute noted.

Although there are laws establishing "strong formal" guarantees for the activity of journalists in Mozambique, IPI considers that their implementation is "weak" as the country's media are subject to "a series of informal government controls that restrict access to information," especially with regard to coverage of the armed conflict in Cabo Delgado, the northern province of the country affected by an armed insurgency since 2017.

The International Press Institute has expressed a willingness to work with Mozambique to ensure that the country's media can operate freely and independently.