According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), police in Mozambique killed at least 11 people and injured more than 50 others in violence after a disputed presidential election this month.
Protests erupted in the southern African country following the announcement that Daniel Chapo, representing the ruling Frelimo party in power since 1975, won the election held on October 9.
Hundreds of opposition supporters flooded the streets last week, resulting in confrontations with riot police.
“Mozambique security forces killed at least 11 people,” HRW said in a statement, adding that “over 50 people suffered serious gunshot wounds” on October 24 and 25.
According to the rights organisation, eight police officers were also said to have been injured. HRW stated that it spoke with 22 individuals, including victims, witnesses, medical professionals, journalists, government representatives, and civil society groups.
“Many, including children as young as one year old, inhaled tear gas that the police fired indiscriminately into residential areas,” the rights group said.
HRW reported that a doctor informed them he had treated numerous injured individuals and that one victim had “a bullet in his spine.”
“Mozambican authorities should promptly and impartially investigate alleged misuse of force and hold those responsible accountable,” said Allan Ngari, Africa advocacy director at HRW.
A local NGO, the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD), reported a minimum of 11 fatalities during the unrest, with six occurring in Nampula province.
According to a statement from CDD released on Sunday, over 450 individuals were detained, including 370 in Maputo. The statement mentioned that at least 85 have since been released.
The police have not responded to the CDD and HRW’s reports, but they previously stated that 20 individuals sustained injuries during the protests.
Authorities also informed AFP that one person was killed in Nampula and another in Niassa, though they provided no additional information.
Mozambique’s electoral commission announced that Chapo won the presidential election with 71% of the votes, while the primary opposition candidate, Venancio Mondlane, supported by the minor Podemos party, garnered 20%.
On Monday, Podemos filed a lawsuit requesting a vote recount. Election observers reported issues before, during, and after the election.
European Union election observers were among those who noted “irregularities during counting and unjustified alteration of election results at polling station and district level”.