Immigration authorities in Mozambique have confiscated the diplomatic passport of opposition leader Venancio Mondlane following his return to the country, his legal adviser disclosed on Friday.
Dinis Tivane, in a statement posted on social media, said the passport was seized on Thursday at Maputo International Airport, where Mondlane arrived after a period of self-imposed exile. Mondlane left Mozambique after the contentious October 9 presidential elections, which he claims were marred by fraud.
Allegations of Intimidation
Tivane claimed the move to seize Mondlane’s passport is an attempt to “intimidate and restrict his movements.” He also noted that Mondlane had lost his status as a member of parliament.
“We will initiate a legal challenge to uncover who issued this unlawful order. We will persist until justice is served,” Tivane stated.