MAPUTO, August 8, 2008 (AFP) - The number of reported human rights abuses has sharply increased in Mozambique in recent years, with most violations committed at police stations and in prisons, a local rights group said Friday.

A report by the Public Integrity Centre (CIP) accused police in Mozambique of committing rights violations through the use of excessive force.

'Most of the violations were committed at police stations and in prisons,' said the report.

The CIP, formed in 2005, also accused officials of not fulfilling promises to tackle human rights abuses.

'Between rhetoric of protection of human rights and its real implementation there are still disparities,' said the report.

'Promises of having a society in which human rights are respected are far from being realised.'

It noted that reported cases of human rights abuse had increased significantly.

'The Mozambican League of Human Rights (LDH), for example, registered 157 cases of summary executions, torture, inhuman treatment between 2005 and 2006 as compared to 13 and 18 cases documented in 2004 and 2003 respectively,' said the report.

The report suggested new measures that would allow civil society organisations access to prisons and police detention cells.