Category: Mozambique

The Constitution of Mozambique provides that no penalty shall deprive persons of any of their civil, professional or political rights, nor shall any penalty deprive a convicted person of his or her fundamental rights, except in so far as the restrictions are inherent to the conviction and are specifically necessary for the execution of the sentence.

Mozambican law has set out offences to protect habitats, to protect wildlife, to regulate hunting and to regulate trade in wildlife and wildlife product. The main laws that define wildlife offenses are the Forests and Wildlife Law, Forestry and Wildlife Regulations and the Conservation Areas Law. The Forestry and Wildlife Regulations, being a regulation, provides more details than the Forests and Wildlife Law and the Conservation Areas Law. 

The law on conservation in Mozambique is rooted in the Constitution which provides for general guiding principles for conservation as well as rights and duties of citizens in conserving their environment. The Constitution provides that all citizens have the right to live in a balanced environment and the obligation to protect it from degradation.

For many years, wildlife conservation in Mozambique was governed by the Hunting Law enacted in 1968. This law governed wildlife conservation for 31 year until…