Mozambique Supreme Court: Dismisses Mondlane's Live Trial Broadcast Appeal

Maputo — Mozambique's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal filed by defendant Venâncio Mondlane, a former presidential candidate, seeking to have his trial broadcast live on television and social media. During the trial, scheduled for November 17, the Supreme Court had also refused recording of sound and images. However, media outlets would be authorized to cover the hearing and produce written records of the proceedings. The decision also grants the public access to the courtroom. In a statement released on Tuesday, the Supreme Court claims that it had dismissed Mondlane's appeal in a ruling issued on 12 October, explaining that the type of decision he was challenging cannot be appealed under the country's Criminal Procedure Code. Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines The Supreme Court's ruling maintains the restrictions on live broadcasting and audiovisual recording without overturning the principle that the trial is open to the public. Mondlane, leader of the National Alliance for a Free and Autonomous Mozambique (Anamola), is accused of five criminal charges related to post-election mass demonstrations. The mass demonstration he called to protest against the alleged fraudulent results of the general elections held in October 2024 started peacefully but then degenerated into rioting. Mondlane is accused of having committed the following crimes: public apology for a crime, incitement to collective disobedience, public instigation to crime, instigation and incitement to terrorism. Recently, the Council of State, the advising body to the Mozambican President, decided to lift Mondlane's immunity in order to allow him to stand trial. The Supreme Court had also argued that a live broadcast could lead the public to form premature conclusions regarding guilt or innocence before a final verdict is reached. This is the most highly anticipated moment in the country, given that Mondlane is effectively the leading opposition figure, as a result of his political prominence and the crowds that attend his rallies across the nation. Read the original article on AIM . AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals , representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica . To address comments or complaints, please Contact us . AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa - aggregating, producing and distributing 600 news and information items daily from over 90 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC. Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy . We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.