The Secretary of the United Nations, António Guterres, yesterday called for an end to demonstrations against alleged electoral fraud in Mozambique and for the police to be restrained in their actions.

Speaking at a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, ahead of the G20 meeting between today and tomorrow, he called for respect for different opinions.

"With regard to Mozambique, my appeal is naturally an appeal for calm, an appeal for the various opinions and positions to be expressed peacefully and for the authorities to also have the necessary restraint to ensure that Mozambique's problems are resolved, as I said, in peace and with respect for the functioning of the institutions," he said.

The UN leader's statement came two days after a statement by independent experts from the organization arguing that peaceful protests should continue without persecution.

The note from the UN human rights experts called on the Mozambican authorities to "prevent and immediately stop the violence and repression of journalists, lawyers, activists and demonstrators and to ensure that those responsible for crimes are investigated and brought to justice".

Experts point out that the violence and repressive measures used against demonstrators in peaceful protests have caused at least 30 deaths, injured 200 people and led to the arrest of at least 300 individuals by November 7.