Maputo, 20 Oct (AIM) – The chairwoman of the Mozambican Bar Association, Thera Dai, said on Monday that every single lawyer must be able to practice their profession free from threats , in an environment of freedom and independence
Thera Dai was speaking to reporters in Maputo following a march by lawyers in memory of Elvino Dias, who was murdered on October 19, 2024.
Dias was the lawyer and legal advisor of the presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, backed by the Optimistic Party for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos), in the general elections held on 9 October. Dias and Paulo Guambe, a Podemos election agent, were shot dead by unknown assailants in central Maputo on 19 October.
Dias was murdered when he was preparing a challenge to be submitted to the Constitutional Council, Mozambique’s highest body in matters of electoral law, in order to denounce the alleged irregularities that occurred during the elections.
“In paying this tribute, we reaffirm that no lawyer should be intimidated, threatened, or placed at risk for the legitimate practice of their profession. The memory of our colleague must translate into an enduring commitment to defending the dignity of the legal profession and to demanding clarity and accountability for acts that threaten the life, liberty, and safety of justice professionals”, she said.
According to Thera Dai, the Bar Association continues to “press for and seek answers regarding the crime. We remain firm and present, monitoring the investigations. We continue to await answers. We have been pushing for them, and we will not stop”, she said.
The Bar Association also established October 19th as “a day for reflection on the prerogatives of lawyers.”
Last April, the country’s Attorney-General, Américo Letela revealed that two people had been arrested, out of three suspects questioned in connection with the murder of Dias and Guambe. However, he acknowledged “major challenges given the various lines of investigation.”
One of the country’s prominent NGOs, the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD), once said that Dias’ widow and children are living in an unknown place, because of constant threats and an attempted kidnapping.
“What forced her to leave her home was when, a few days ago, she and her children escaped an attempted kidnapping. They fear that those who killed the lawyer could harm them. These are the same death squads that murdered the lawyer”, the organization said.
Am/