ATLANTA (Oct. 11, 2019) — The Carter Center condemns the murder of Anastacio Matavele, the head of a nonpartisan election observation organization in Mozambique, and calls for an immediate and thorough investigation to bring those responsible to justice.
Nonpartisan election observers play a critical role in safeguarding the credibility of democratic electoral processes and should be able to conduct their work free from intimidation, fear, and violence.
Matavele was shot on Monday, Oct. 7, just eight days before national elections. An elite police unit has been linked to the shooting. The Carter Center urges all Mozambicans to take steps to ensure that the remainder of the election process is peaceful.
The Carter Center in Mozambique
The Carter Center is not observing Mozambique’s 2019 elections; however, it has supported development in Mozambique since 1995, including through international election observation, support for citizen observers, review of the political finance structure, and improvement of agricultural production. The Carter Center observed Mozambique’s elections in 1999, 2003, 2004, and 2014.
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Contact: In Atlanta, Soyia Ellison, soyia.ellison@cartercenter.org
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A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide
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