Mozambique: Justice served as writer, editor and publisher Alex Barga is acquitted
“The dismissal of the fabricated case against Alex Barga and his colleagues is welcome news! The bold action by the Maputo City Judicial Court is a testament to the vital place and role of independent judicial officers in safeguarding legitimate justice systems from abuse by autocrats. Barga should not have been arrested or detained in the first place. We celebrate the collapse of the trumped-up charges against him and his unconditional release and now hope for full accountability for the officials behind his persecution over the last nine months,” said Dr. Ma Thida, Chairperson of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee.
19 September 2025: PEN International welcomes the unconditional acquittal of Mozambican writer, poet, editor, and publisher, Alex Barga after nine months of unlawful detention on trumped-up charges. On 8 September, the Maputo City Judicial Court declared the charge of ‘planning a coup d’ état’ a ‘total nullity’ for lack of evidence. Shortly after, on 15 September, the same court dismissed charges of “conspiracy to commit crimes against state security, violent alteration of the rule of law, and criminal association.”
With the dismissal of all charges, the Court unconditionally freed Alex and 12 other co-accused persons. In her ruling, the Judge ordered the Mozambican Public Prosecutor’s Office to initiate criminal proceedings against police officers suspected of torturing and inflicting serious bodily harm on Alex and his colleagues during their detention and interrogation.
The ruling by the Maputo City Judicial Court is emblematic of the vital role of an independent judiciary in safeguarding civic freedoms and the fair administration of justice even within a climate of relentless civic repression. The ruling vindicates PEN International’s assertion that the persecution of Alex by authorities was an affront to Mozambique’s Constitution and national laws as well as a violation of the country's international human rights obligations. The organisation hopes the ruling sets a consequential precedent leading to the swift release from unlawful detention and unjustified prosecution of thousands of Mozambicans arbitrarily arrested in post-election crackdowns on peaceful protest since October 2024.
PEN International calls on Mozambican authorities to stop weaponising the country’s justice system to suppress civic freedoms. The organisation urges the Mozambican National Assembly to urgently review and amend laws and prohibit all forms of repressive administrative conduct, in line with Mozambique’s regional and international obligations regarding the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Specifically, the organisation encourages authorities to include in Mozambique’s policing policies norms and principles enshrined in the African Union Guidelines for the Policing of Assemblies by Law Enforcement Officials in Africa; the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa; the Guidelines on Freedom of Association and Assembly in Africa; the International Human Rights Principles on the Protection of Human Rights in Protests; and the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.
For background information on Alex Barga’s case and PEN International’s actions read our statement issued in June 2025.
Note to editors:
For further details contact Nduko o’Matigere, Head of Africa Region at PEN International: [email protected]
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