Meeting in Solidarity with 15 Political Prisoners in Angola
Radio Despertar and human rights defender Rafael Marques are organising a meeting in Luanda in solidarity with political prisoners and victims of political intolerance, on 12 September 2015. Supporters across Angola and throughout the world will be able to follow the event on social media. The meeting will take place from 10 am until 1 pm, at the at the Sovsmo conference centre next to Radio Despertar’s premises in Viana.
The meeting welcomes people from all sectors of civil society, activists, religious groupings, political parties, artists and all citizens committed to freedom, human rights, justice and the spiritual well being of the Angolan people.
The meeting aims to build public solidarity with the 15 political prisoners who have been arbitrarily accused of preparing a coup against President José Eduardo dos Santos. This solidarity will also extend to the activist José Mavungo in Cabinda, who is on trial accused of attempting an armed rebellion. Judgement in his case will be heard on 16 September.
The meeting will also be an expression of people’s outrage at the massacre of religious sect members that took place on 16 April at Mount Sumi in Huambo province, and of solidarity with the survivors who continue to face persecution.
The programme for the meeting is designed above all to allow family members to share their experiences directly with sympathisers in wider society, in such a way as to reach the greatest possible number of people. Each organisation will be allowed a three-minute intervention. Individual citizens will have the chance make one-minute interventions to express their support in the cases already mentioned. Citizens will also be able to make donations to help cover the costs incurred by families supporting the prisoners.
Under arrest, for 80 days now, for the book club debate on non-violence, are Afonso Matias “Mbanza Hamza”, Albano Bingobingo, Arante Kivuvu, Benedito Jeremias, Domingos da Cruz, Fernando Tomás “Nicola Radical”, Hitler Jessia Chiconda “Itler Samussuku”, Inocêncio Brito “Drux”, José Hata, “Cheik Hata”, Luaty Beirão, Nelson Dibango, Nito Alves, Álvaro Dala, Sedrick de Carvalho, as well as Lieutenant Osvaldo Caholo.