Committee to Protect Journalists - Mozambique

Mozambican journalist sentenced in criminal libel case

2012-08-02T20:51:38Z

Johannesburg, August 2, 2012--An appeals court in the Mozambican city of Beira should reverse the criminal libel conviction of a journalist who wrote about a disagreement between a private school and the family of a disabled student, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Falume Chabane was sentenced to a 16-month suspended prison term on July 20 and ordered to pay damages of 150,000 meticais, according to news reports.

Attacks on the Press 2009: Africa Developments

2010-02-16T05:02:50Z

Cardoso's killer escapes again

2008-12-08T21:58:20Z

New York, December 8, 2008--The convicted murderer of Mozambique's foremost investigative journalist, Carlos Cardoso, escaped from his high-security cell in on Sunday morning, local journalists told CPJ. This is the third time the assassin Anibal dos Santos Jr., commonly referred to as Anibalzinho, has escaped prison in Mozambique's capital, Maputo.

CPJ Impact

2008-05-01T06:00:55Z

May 2008
News from the Committee to Protect Journalists

Attacks on the Press 2007: Africa Snapshots

2008-02-05T16:59:20Z

Attacks & developments throughout the region

MOZAMBIQUE: Reporter jailed for 3 days by police

2007-03-31T16:00:00Z

MARCH 31, 2007
Posted: April 11, 2007

Celso Manguana, Canal de Mocambique
IMPRISONED

Manguana, a reporter of the private daily Canal de Mocambique, was arrested after he called officials at a police station in the capital Maputo “incompetent” for declining to comment on the detentions of several people in the aftermath of an anti-government demonstration, according to the Media Institute of Southern Africa and the state-run news agency Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique.

In Mozambique, court upholds conviction of Carlos Cardoso’s killers

2007-02-16T17:00:00Z

New York, February 16, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes this week’s ruling by a Mozambican court to reject the appeals of six hired killers of leading investigative journalist Carlos Cardoso.

Cardoso was gunned down on November 22, 2000, while investigating the 1996 embezzlement of US$14 million from the state-controlled Commercial Bank of Mozambique (BCM).

Attacks on the Press 2006: Africa Snapshots

2007-02-05T16:46:58Z

Attacks & developments throughout the region

South African weekly journalists detained over critical report

2006-12-08T17:00:00Z

December 8, 2006

Dominic Mahlangu, Sunday Times
Carlos Litulo, freelance
HARASSED

Police in the southeastern village of Xicumbane detained investigative reporter Mahlangu and freelance photographer Litulo for 14 hours without charge and confiscated their notebooks, cell phones, and a camera, according to CPJ interviews and news reports. A police official ordered the arrests after Mahlangu questioned him about the activities of the notorious Mozambican criminal Annanias Mathe, the journalist told CPJ. Xicumbane is home to Mathe, who is jailed in South Africa on more than 50 charges that include murder and rape, according to international news reports.

CPJ Update

2006-07-14T04:00:00Z

CPJ Update
July 14, 2006
News from the Committee to Protect Journalists

Return to front page | See previous Updates

Three journalists detained without charge

2006-05-16T16:00:00Z

MAY 3, 2006
Posted: May 16, 2006

Sebastiao Canjera, Mabarwe
Joao Mascarenhas, Mabarwe
Patreque Francisco, Mabarwe
IMPRISONED

A prosecutor in the western district of Manica ordered three journalists from the community newspaper Mabarwe detained without charge, according to the local chapter of the Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) and local news reports. According to local reports, editor Canjera, news editor Mascarenhas, and reporter Francisco were detained after a local businessman accused their paper of defaming him. They were held until May 10, when they were released without charge.

Prosecutor seeks charges against ex-presidents son in Cardoso murder

2006-05-11T16:00:00Z

New York, May 11, 2006—A local prosecutor in Mozambique has taken a preliminary step toward indicting a son of former President Joaquim Chissano in the 2000 murder of investigative journalist Carlos Cardoso, Mozambique’s official news agency, AIM, reported today.

The prosecutor filed what is known as a charge sheet with the Maputo City Court about two weeks ago, AIM reported today. A judge will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed against Nyimpine Chissano, the news agency said. AIM reported that the charge sheet accuses the younger Chissano of being involved in plotting the murder.

CPJ welcomes second conviction of Carlos Cardoso's killer

2006-01-20T17:00:00Z

New York, January 20, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomed a conviction today by a Mozambican court in the murder of Carlos Cardoso but called on authorities to pursue those behind the killing of Mozambique's leading investigative reporter.

A court in the capital, Maputo, convicted Anibal dos Santos Jr. for the second time of recruiting Cardoso's killers. Dos Santos, better known as Anibalzinho, was sentenced to almost 30 years in prison. The conviction ended a two-month retrial. Anibalzinho, who escaped twice from custody, was convicted in absentia in 2003 of involvement in the 2000 murder. Anibalzinho, who has Portuguese citizenship, successfully appealed to the Supreme Court in December 2004 for a retrial.

Attacks on the Press 2004: Africa Analysis

2005-03-14T16:57:00Z

Overview
by Julia Crawford

With the rule of law weak in many African countries, journalists regularly battle threats and harassment, not only from governments but also from rogue elements, such as militias. Repressive legislation is used in many countries to silence journalists who write about sensitive topics such as corruption, mismanagement, and human rights abuses. If fewer journalists were killed or imprisoned in Africa than in some other regions in 2004--two were killed and 19 were behind bars for their work at year's end--the problems they face are insidious and ongoing.

Attacks on the Press 2004: Mozambique

2005-03-14T16:21:00Z

Mozambique

Mozambique's press has flourished since a devastating 16-year civil war ended in 1992. However, journalists are still haunted by the 2000 murder of Carlos Cardoso, who was killed for his aggressive investigative reporting on a 1996 corruption scandal involving the state-controlled Commercial Bank of Mozambique (BCM). Although those who carried out the murder were tried and convicted, local journalists are still concerned that the masterminds behind the crime remain at large.