URGENT: Fears of Enforced Disappearance After Turkish Lawyer Detained in Mozambique
Detained Turkish lawyer vanishes in Maputo amid fears of secret rendition and politically motivated targeting.
Serious concerns are mounting over the fate of Turkish lawyer Emre Çınar, 35, who was detained in Maputo on 30 December 2025 by individuals believed to be members of Mozambican intelligence services. His whereabouts have remained unknown for more than 24 hours, prompting fears of an enforced disappearance and a potential unlawful extradition to Türkiye.
🚨 URGENT: FEARS OF ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCE IN MOZAMBIQUE
A Turkish lawyer Emre Çınar (35), who has lived in exile in Maputo since 2017, was detained on 30 Dec 2025 (~15:00) by officials believed to be Mozambican intelligence.
His whereabouts remain unknown, raising serious… pic.twitter.com/lm1WHAKkm5
— Universal Rights Association (URA) (@URASAFRICA) December 31, 2025
According to information shared by his family and echoed in local Mozambican media, Çınar was stopped in the afternoon at around 15:00, his phone and personal belongings were confiscated, and he was reportedly told he would be taken to the public prosecutor’s office. Since then, all traces of him have vanished.
No Official Record, No Access to Lawyers
Family members and legal representatives say the situation has reached a critical point. Despite repeated inquiries:
- He has not appeared before a prosecutor
- He is not registered at any police station
- There is no official record of his detention
- His current location remains unknown
Authorities have provided no explanation to his lawyers or relatives.
Concerns of Political Motives and Secret Detention
Çınar has lived in Mozambique since 2017, having fled political pressure in Türkiye. He has been residing legally in the country for eight years. Human rights observers warn that his detention bears the hallmarks of politically motivated targeting, potentially linked to longstanding efforts by Turkish authorities to secure the return of critics abroad.
Local reporting has also raised alarm. Mozambican outlet MZNews published claims that Çınar, described as the legal representative of Willow International School in Maputo, was “kidnapped in an operation linked to Turkish political persecution targeting critics abroad.” (https://mznews.co.mz/perseguicao-politica-turca-chega-a-mocambique-um-cidadao-raptado/)
Human rights experts fear he may be held in an undisclosed location—sometimes referred to as a “black site”—or face imminent refoulement, a violation of international law prohibiting the forced return of individuals to countries where they risk persecution.
International Community Urged to Act
Given the gravity of the situation, urgent appeals are being directed to:
- The United Nations (UN)
- UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
- UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
- Amnesty International
- Human Rights Watch
- The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
- Journalists, lawyers, and global human rights defenders
Advocates stress that any secret detention or unlawful extradition would constitute a severe breach of human rights obligations and international conventions.
Immediate Demands
Human rights groups and supporters are calling for:
- Immediate disclosure of Emre Çınar’s whereabouts
- Unrestricted access to his lawyers
- Full respect for legal and procedural safeguards
“Silence is the greatest enabler of such violations,” one family member said, urging international actors to intervene before it is too late.
URGENT-Fears of Enforced Disappearance After Turkish Lawyer Detained in #Mozambique
Detained Turkish lawyer vanishes in #Maputo amid fears of secret rendition and politically motivated targeting @daniel_chapo24 @TIM_moz @CDD_Moz @RMDDH_Moz @ParlamentoMoz https://t.co/FszVyJkluq— UA24 | NEWS 🇺🇦 (@UA24en) December 31, 2025
