MISA Mozambique, the Mozambican chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa, and the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) are concerned about the increase in attacks on journalists in Mozambique, especially in the context of the post-election crisis.

Meeting this Wednesday, February 26, in Maputo, the two institutions warned of the growing wave of physical and verbal attacks against media professionals, threatening press freedom and the right to information in the country.

Against this backdrop, MISA Mozambique and the CNDH pledged to strengthen cooperation in preventing and monitoring violations against the press, with the aim of guaranteeing respect for human rights and strengthening the rule of law.

The Executive Director of MISA Mozambique, Ernesto Nhanale, stressed that the partnership with the CNDH is essential to ensure the continuity of efforts to combat impunity for crimes against journalists. The President of the CNDH, Albachir Macassar, stressed the need for joint action to protect media professionals and ensure that cases of violence against journalists are properly investigated and punished.

The two institutions reaffirmed that press freedom is a fundamental pillar of democracy and pledged to intensify joint monitoring, advocacy and training actions in order to create a safer environment for the exercise of journalism in Mozambique.