The Regime Turnaround on the Release of 15 Political Prisoners

16 de December de 2015 Maka Angola

There are slightly encouraging signs that the Angolan government is coming to terms with the damage it has inflicted upon itself by investing all its powers in making up evidence to prove that the detained 15 young activists were preparing acts of rebellion and attempting to assassinate President Dos Santos, by plotting to burn tires in the presidential palace. Sadly, it has taken extreme gestures such as Sedrick de Carvalho, one of the accused, threatening to commit suicide, for common sense to prevail. The attorney general, Army General João Maria de Sousa, announced yesterday, during a press conference, that the prosecution appealed to the judge to end the 177 days pre-trial detention of the youths, and replace it with house arrest, under the new Law on Preventive Measures on Penal Processes. Defense lawyer David Mendes told the Portuguese news agency Lusa, that the measure is illegal “because the law is not […]

The Regime’s Diplomatic and Propaganda Offensive Abroad

17 de November de 2015 Maka Angola

In the last several weeks, the Angolan government has engaged in an international propaganda campaign to counter what it has called a coordinated effort to smear its alleged good reputation. Indeed, the newly-appointed Ambassador-at-large, Luvualu de Carvalho, has been in Portugal pointing accusatory fingers at supposed ill-meaning interest groups that were misrepresenting the country’s political leaders. The issue gaining the most exposure currently — and the one causing Luanda the biggest headache — is the prolonged detention of the young political prisoners. One of them, Luaty Beirão, recently concluded a 36-day hunger strike to protest his unjust treatment. Ambassador Luvualu argued that matters were being blown out of proportion, that the state had a solid case against him and the so-called Angola 15, and that there would be a free, fair, and openly transparent trial. Supporters of the Angola’s 15 insist that, firstly, their prolonged detention contravenes Angolan Law. Secondly, […]

Youth Protesters Charged with Rebellion on Trial Today

16 de November de 2015 Maka Angola

Seventeen young Angolan activists were charged in court with rebellion against the state on Monday, a case rights groups said showed increasing intolerance of dissent. The young campaigners were detained in June after organising a reading of U.S. academic Gene Sharp’s 1993 book: “From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation”. The book’s blurb describes it as: “a blueprint for nonviolent resistance to repressive regimes”. Charges against them read out in court included acts of rebellion, planning mass action of civil disobedience in the capital Luanda and producing fake passports. Their defence lawyer told the hearing his clients were not guilty of any crime because debate and freedom of speech were protected under the constitution. Human rights groups have accused Angola’s President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and his government of using the legal system to crack down on critics after several activists were jailed or detained this year on […]

United Nations Urges Angola to Free Youth Activists

23 de October de 2015 Maka Angola

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, Michel Forst, today urged the Government of Angola to release fourteen activists arrested in June after taking part in peaceful meetings to criticize lack of good governance in the country. “Deprivation of liberty on the sole ground of having promoted good governance and exercised the rights to free expression and peaceful assembly may be considered arbitrary,” Mr. Forst warned referring to the case of Luaty Beirão, a prominent Angolan musician and rights activist, and the other defenders arrested. “Such criticism is not only fully legitimate according to Angola’s obligations under human rights law; it is also essential to the free and public debate necessary for a healthy civil society in the country,” the independent expert stressed. After their arrest, the ‘Angola fourteen’ were charged in September, together with two women rights defenders who remain at liberty awaiting trial, […]

Political Prisoners Tortured in São Paulo Penitentiary

13 de October de 2015 Maka Angola

“I saw the wounds on the legs, the hands and on his back. I had to massage him as he was very swollen. He took a heavy beating. Fifteen to twenty police tortured him. He can hardly walk,” revealed Henriqueta Diogo. She was referring to the terror her husband, the political prisoner Benedito Jeremias, experienced last Friday at the São Paulo prison hospital in Luanda. According to Henriqueta Diogo, her husband and five others who have been detained in the 15+1 case were protesting over what is supposed to be a basic right – being able to talk to each other during breaks. “The police started beating him while he was in his cell with electric truncheons while the jail’s deputy director, Aldivino Oliveira, took photographs and filmed everything. He was then dragged out of the cell where the punishment continued, “ said Henriqueta Diogo. Yesterday, Henriqueta Diogo found her […]

Attempts at Peaceful Protests are Now Undemocratic in Angola

24 de September de 2015 Maka Angola

The families of Angolan political prisoners are appealing against the decision of the Luanda Provincial Governor, Graciano Domingos, banning the protest and vigil set for the 26 of September. Graciano Domingos argued that the gathering would be undemocratic. This is yet another episode in the famous case of the young activists who were arrested last June on politically motivated charges that they were plotting a coup against President Dos Santos. The youth had assembled at a book club reading, and were discussing materials on non-violent strategies against repression when they were detained. “We would like to make it known that the case is still going through the appropriate legal procedures; therefore, we need to wait patiently for the final decision on the basis of the law, and for the defence of the accused on the basis of their constitutional rights,” the governor said. The law permits 90 days of preventive […]

Solidarity Meeting With Political Prisoners Gathers a Thousand People

16 de September de 2015 Maka Angola

More than a thousand people took part in a meeting to express their solidarity with detained Angolan political prisoners. Human rights defender Rafael Marques, and Radio Despertar organized the event on 12 September. The event was broadcast live by the radio station and live streamed through various social networks for nearly four hours. Deolinda Luisa, mother of the 26-years old political prisoner Benedito Jeremias, in tears and with a cracking voice, said she had not been able to take food to her son for three days because she had no money. The mother, currently living in Moxico province, is in Luanda to support her son who has been detained since 20 June. He has been accused of plotting to overthrow the state as part of the so-called 15+1 prisoners. The mother of 19-year old political prisoner Nito Alves, Adalia Chivonde, told the gathering that her son was showing signs of […]

Meeting in Solidarity with 15 Political Prisoners in Angola

8 de September de 2015 Maka 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 […]

President Dos Santos Celebrates his Birthday in Dictatorial Style

28 de August de 2015 Maka Angola

The heavily armed Presidential Guard Unit is out in the streets, in parts of the capital Luanda for today’s celebration of President José Eduardo dos Santos’ 73rd birthday bash. In a strange sign, this time the guards are using war camouflaged helmets. Many of the soldiers are holding rocket-launchers, RPG-7s , and carrying backpacks of rockets. Why does a republic have to celebrate its president’s birthday? Why does the president’s birthday party have to mean the militarization of the streets? There is a protest set to take place today. The mothers, wives and sisters of the 15 political prisoners, will gather at the Independence Square to demand freedom for their loved ones. So far, the government and the judicial authorities have only politically accused the youth protesters with plotting a coup to overthrow President Dos Santos. After more than 60 days in the detention, the authorities have yet to charge […]

Relatives of Political Prisoners Decide to go Ahead with Protest

26 de August de 2015 Maka Angola

The mothers, wives and sisters of 15 Angolan political prisoners decided to appeal against the decision of the governor of Luanda, Graciano Domingos, who banned the march organised to take place on 28 August. The women vowed to take to the streets anyway. “We are not going to sit and wait for our sons [to be released]. We really are going to march. It is our right”, stated Adália Chivonde, the mother of prisoner Manuel Nito Alves, and one of the petitioners. “The police can beat us and send in the dogs against us mothers. During the march on 8 August, the police broke one of my toes, this time they can break one of my legs, but the march will go ahead”, she vowed. In the new petition, which was lodged with the governor’s office today, the organisers of the march gave notice of the decision to “hold a […]

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