MISA Mozambique has become aware, with justifiable concern, of death threats made in recent weeks against the Chairman of the Board of Directors (PCA) of TV Sucesso, Gabriel Júnior. The complaint was made by the man himself, on the evening of November 12, on his usual Sunday program, "Moçambique em Concerto".

"I think it's time to ask you to pray for me because, for the last two weeks, I've been receiving death threats. I thought it would be temporary, but with each passing day, the pressure of the threats is becoming greater," said Gabriel Júnior, noting that it is "difficult to live in a situation of pressure, with every step you take". The PCA and television presenter did not go into detail about the nature of the threats, but said that he had immediately reported them to the authorities.

Although Gabriel Júnior didn't talk about the motives behind the threats (MISA Mozambique tried to contact him, but to no avail), they are being linked to Tv Sucesso's journalistic coverage of the recent local elections, particularly since the long night of voting on October 11, when the media outlet exposed various irregularities that could constitute electoral fraud. "Everything is coming out of this election period," a source close to Gabriel Júnior told MISA.

MISA-Mozambique condemns this and any other acts of threats and intimidation against media professionals or managers. Regardless of their motives, threats against media professionals or managers are serious attacks on freedom of the press and freedom of expression. If nothing justifies the use of death threats in any situation, much less journalistic coverage, no matter how much you like it.

As a democratic state governed by the rule of law, we cannot allow threats or other acts against media professionals or managers to take place in our midst, which, moreover, constitutes a flagrant violation of the national legal system that guides the operation of the media in the country. As established in Article 48(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Mozambique (CRM), the exercise of freedom of expression, which includes the right to disseminate one's thoughts by all legal means, and the exercise of the right to information, cannot be restricted, either by censorship (as established in the CRM) or by other means, including threats.

Also in the light of Article 48(3) of the CRM, as well as Article 2 of Law 18/91 of August 10 (the Press Law), freedom of the press means, among other things, freedom of expression and the protection of journalists' independence. In fact, any threat, whether directed directly at journalists or through media managers, which may be aimed at influencing the type of journalistic coverage to be carried out by the respective media outlet, constitutes a serious violation of the Press Law and the Constitution of the Republic itself.

In this case, more than attacks on freedom of the press and freedom of expression, death threats constitute crimes against the most fundamental human right: the right to life. For this reason, while condemning this type of act, MISA Mozambique urges the authorities to investigate these threats until the perpetrators are found and held responsible. The authorities must therefore send a clear message of intolerance against this and any other threats against journalists or media managers.