Search Results for: Luaty Beirão

Albano Bingobingo is very ill. This is his tenth day on hunger strike. Maka Angola learnt through sources within the prison system that Bingobingo has also been severely tortured by guards at the São Paulo Penitenciary in Luanda. “Bingobingo’s eyes have sunken. He is very sick; he has a swollen leg and remained locked up in a human pigsty without any medical assistance,” said the source. Henriqueta Diogo, wife of the political prisoner Benedito Jeremias, also told Maka Angola that Albano Bingobingo has serious difficulties in urinating. On October 14, at around 23:00, four of the political prisoners of the now famous 15+1 Case – Benedito Jeremias, Afonso Matias “Mbanza Hamza”; Hitler Jessy Chiconde, and Albano Bingobingo – were transferred from the São Paulo Penitenciary to the Luanda Central Penitenciary. The norm is for detainees to be transferred during the day; however, in the case of these political prisoners, the government […]

The Angolan president’s address to the nation was delivered by Vice-President Manuel Vicente since President José Eduardo dos Santos failed to appear in Parliament – for reasons of health, it was claimed. The most notable features of the speech were the president’s absence and the silence, and apparent indifference, regarding the political prisoners held in Luanda. In a critical state: Luaty Beirão and the president The president’s state of health has long been a taboo subject. When it is mentioned at the most solemn event on the presidential calendar, it becomes clear that the president has run out of arguments and must indeed have serious health problems. But right now his biggest headache is the political prisoner Luaty Beirão, who is in a critical condition after 24 days on hunger strike. Many citizens had high hopes for the speech, because they thought the president would take the chance to present […]

As evidence of the confusion abounding within political and judicial authorities with regard to the case of the 15 political prisoners, senior officials from the Criminal Investigation Service (SIC) and the Attorney General’s office in Luanda travelled to Lisbon. There, on 6 and 7 August, they interrogated Alberto Neto, owner of the property where the youths were arrested, and made bizarre accusations about the activists’ alleged plans. Alberto Neto, a politician and academic, was interrogated by the deputy attorney general of the Republic attached to SIC, Luciano Chaca, and the SIC special agent Pedro João, who coordinated the raid on Neto’s home that resulted in the arrest of 13 of the youths. In an exclusive interview with Maka Angola, Alberto Neto described what happened. “I was in Sweden as a visiting professor in the University of Malmo. I was told that over 50 police officers had surrounded and entered my […]

Fernando Baptista, father of the political prisoner Manuel Baptista Chivonde Nito Alves, was summoned on Friday to testify before the Criminal Investigation Service [SIC] in Luanda. He was questioned about his son’s primary school education and about his given name, which recalls the name of a famous anti-establishment leader from the 1970s. “I was interrogated by special agent Pedro João, in the presence of Superintendent Fernando Recheado. They wanted to know why I called my son Nito Alves,  and where he went to school from pre-school to the end of his primary education”, the father told Maka Angola. According to Fernando Baptista, the interrogation lasted one hour and “was based entirely on his name and his primary education”. “Special agent Pedro João also asked me if we are related to Commander Nito Alves and I said we were not”, said the father. The legendary commander Alves Bernardo Baptista “Nito Alves”, […]

The Luanda Provincial Government has prohibited a protest by mothers, sisters and wives of 15 Angolan political prisoners to demand the release of their relatives. They had hoped to demonstrate on 28 August, the president’s birthday. They delivered a letter on Wednesday to the Luanda provincial governor, Graciano Domingos, informing him of their intention to hold a demonstration and vigil. The negative response from vice-governor Jovelina Imperial came in less than 24 hours, citing a clause in the law on demonstrations and meetings that states “parades and processions may not take place before 7 pm on a weekday”. The demonstration was scheduled for 3 pm on a Friday. The governor’s office added that holding a demonstration that defied a legal prohibition would be punishable as the crime of “disobedience” in term of the Penal Code. Reacting to the letter, Isabel Correira, the mother of political prisoner Osvaldo Caholo and one […]

A group of mothers, sisters and wives of 15 Angolan political prisoners plan to demonstrate in Luanda on 28 August, the president’s birthday, to demand the release of their relatives. They delivered a letter on Thursday to the Luanda provincial governor, Graciano Domingos, informing him of their intention to hold a demonstration and vigil. They explained that the initiative comes from “a spirit of solidarity with their sons, spouses, brothers, relatives and friends” and that they intend to “show their feelings of inconsolable sorrow.” According to the letter, which Maka Angola has seen with the stamp confirming it was received by the provincial government, the demonstration will start at 3 pm at Largo da Independência (Independence Square), will pass through Largo da Sagrada Família and end at Largo da Maianga, where there will be a vigil. The petitioners call on governor Graciano Domingos to ensure “that the demonstration takes place […]