Licence To Kill

Amnesty International, 2008, 22 Seiten.

Police Accountability in Mozambique - ein Bericht über das Polizeisystem in Mosambik.

High crimes rates and a backlog of criminal cases mean the police in Mozambique face enormous challenges. They have responded to these challenges by committing human rights violations, using excessive force and unlawfully killing suspects.

On 14 August 2007, Abrantes Afonso Penicela was given a toxic injection by a group of five police offiers and driven to a secluded spot in Maputo province. he was beaten until he fainted, then shot in the back of the neck, set on fire and left for dead. He died the next day. To date, no police officer has ben arrested for the killing.

Between 2004 and 2007, Amnesty International received numerous reports of human rights violations by the police in Mozambique. Many of these were cases of unlawful killings. In almost all cases no disciplinary action was carried out against the police responsible.

Mozambique whas a responsibility to implement a number of international and regional human rights standards on policing. However, human rights violations by police will continue unless police are held accountable for their actions. Amnesty International calls on the Mozambique government and the international community to work together to strengthen police accountability mechanisms to ensure police officers can no longer commit human rights violations with impunity. Police officers must not be given a licence to kill.