The movement "In Defence of the Right to Freedom of Association" repudiates the accusations by the Ministry of National Defence (MDN) that Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are supporting and financing the wave of post-election demonstrations called by the independent presidential candidate, Venâncio Mondlane.

The movement is made up of around 180 entities, including CSOs/NGOs and individuals, according to a statement to which we have had access. Meanwhile, last week, the MDN issued a statement accusing "some CSOs and individuals in bad faith, among nationals and foreigners" of supporting the protests aimed at chaos and subversion of the established constitutional order.

The group of NGOs and individuals believes that the MDN's accusations are "unacceptable and condemnable in every respect (...) unfounded and absurd".

For the movement, which recalls the right to demonstrate and to assemble, and says that NGOs in Mozambique are aware of their limits, the MDN's stance reflects "a veiled attack on the right to freedom of association that fits in with the government's authoritarian drift to further stifle civic space by silencing dissenting voices". This is backed up by a recent incident in which the government of the day accused NGOs of financing terrorism in Cabo Delgado.

The movement calls on the MDN to refrain from making politically motivated attacks against civil society organizations, limiting itself to its sovereign duty. But it also challenges the MDN to prove its accusations.