The following is based on a communication sent by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and other UN experts to the Government of Mozambique on 27 November 2024. The communication remained confidential for 60 days before being made public, giving the Government time to reply. Unfortunately, the Government did not respond within this time frame. If a response is received, it will be posted on the UN Special Procedures communications database.
This is a shorter version of the original communication.
BACKGROUND
Topic: threats against and intimidation of Mr. Wilker Dias, in the context of recent elections in Mozambique.
Mr. Wilker Dias is a human rights defender and the Executive Director of civil society platform Plataforma para Democracia, Cidadania, Direitos e Estudos (DECIDE).
DECIDE was created in 2023 and focuses on monitoring elections. Since its creation, the platform has been active in the context of the municipal elections held on 11 October 2023 and the presidential, legislative and provincial elections held on 9 October 2024.
On 2 October 2024, in recognition of his contribution to strengthening democracy and defending human rights in Mozambique, Mr. Dias was announced as the winner of the Tulip Award, an annual award of the Dutch government to support human rights defenders.
Special Procedures mandate holders have previously raised concerns about threats and intimidation of human rights defenders, including in AL MOZ 2/2022, dated 16 September 2022.
ALLEGATIONS
On 9 October 2024, presidential, legislative and provincial elections were held in Mozambique. While the vote took place in a relatively peaceful atmosphere, there have been numerous allegations of fraud and irregularities in the elections, and the period since the vote has been marked by growing tensions, violence and reports of human rights violations.
On 14 October 2024, Mr. Dias announced on social media that he had travelled to Banjul, the Gambia, to request the intervention of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, for the annulment and re-run of the elections in the locations where political participation had reportedly been obstructed. He announced that DECIDE would be presenting evidence of irregularities and human rights violations committed in the context of the elections, including excessive use of force by the police.
On 19 October 2024, reports circulated on social media about a list of seven individuals allegedly being targeted by “death squads” operating for the regime in Mozambique, due to their critical positions. The list includes Mr. Dias, alongside others.
Additionally, an unidentified man arrived at the hotel where Mr. Dias was staying at in Banjul, seemingly making inquiries about his whereabouts and apparently monitoring the movement of persons who were there.
On 21 October 2024, colleagues of Mr. Dias who had also been in Banjul were questioned about the whereabouts of Mr. Dias reportedly by government officials, upon their arrival in Maputo.
On 5 November 2024, Mr. Dias received additional intimidating messages on social media from an individual, followed by a phone call from the same person. During the phone call, the person reportedly told him he should not be providing “logistical support to those preparing a coup attempt in Mozambique” and warning him to be careful about “his safety and that of his son”, as his associates “are very vengeful”.
CONCERNS
In the communication, we express our concern at these acts of intimidation and threats against human rights defender Wilker Dias. We are concerned that Mr. Dias’s prominent and public work defending human rights in Mozambique, and in particular his work related to election observation, may put him at elevated risk of attack. We are particularly concerned that this is at least the second such incident in two years.
We are deeply concerned that this alleged threat may pose a real risk to Mr. Dias’ life. In her report to the Human Rights Council in 2020, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders highlighted the link between the killing of human rights defenders and death threats, noting that “[n]ot all death threats to human rights defenders are followed by a murder, and not all such murders are preceded by death threats. However, many killings are preceded by a threat.”
In addition, in her report to the UN General Assembly in 2024, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association highlighted the link between stigmatizing rhetorics, such as ‘attempting coup d’etat’ and ‘rioters’ have reinforced “restrictive public order measures to portray activists exercising their right to peaceful assembly as being a “threat to public order”. Besides, “the portray of non-violent protest actions as “extremist”, “golpistas” or “radical” exposes them to further violence”.
