"The Mozambican Bar Association expresses its indignation at the denial of the right to demonstrate by the Mozambican police last Saturday (18.03.23), and expresses its deep concern and repudiation of the actions of the Mozambican police, particularly in the cities of Maputo, Beira and Nampula," reads a press release from the Bar Association.

In the same statement, the Bar Association said that "the reports and images witnessed by the lawyers on standby, shared by citizens and others disseminated by the media show the violence of the police against citizens who wanted to demonstrate, including the use of batons, tear gas and arbitrary arrests".

"These actions not only violate the fundamental rights of citizens, but also call into question democracy, which is a value that all Mozambicans have won with great sacrifice. In fact, the right to freedom of assembly is one of the pillars of democracy and must be respected by the authorities, who, by the way, have a duty to protect and promote the human rights of citizens," says the Order's document, which MZNews had access to.

"The Mozambican Bar Association reaffirms its commitment to defending human rights and the democratic rule of law, and will continue to work to ensure that the fundamental rights of Mozambican citizens are respected and protected. For this reason, it salutes and encourages the lawyers who have been ready to restore justice, namely by supporting citizens who have been arbitrarily detained," the document concludes.