UNRESOLVED BADGES OF DICTATORSHIP 

 

Dozens of prominent activists remain in detention in Angola, despite of the campaign promess advanced by Joao Lourenco.

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Many of those still held are in unknown locations and without access to lawyer or family visits in conditions that may constitute enforced disappearances and put them at risk of abuse. Angola should urgently release all detainees, or promptly charge them with a recognizable crime in procedures that uphold due process and ensure that they are allowed family visits and medical care.

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“Angola’s tactic of silencing dissent through mass arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and other rights violations needs to stop,” said Jehanne Henry, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The world should know that, despite new president discourse of freedom of expression, dozens of activists remain hidden behind bars in limbo without access to their families, lawyers, or due process.”

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Since Joao lourenco took control of the country, government has violently suppressed peaceful protests against austerity measures and has repeatedly confiscated newspapers that have covered the protests. Angola's opposition estimated that more than 100 people were detained since he took control on the country, many during opposition party-organized protests. National security officials continue to arrest people at their homes or offices, or at meetings. 

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Such efforts to shut down demonstrations are clearly incompatible with Angola and international protections on the rights to freedom of assembly and expression. 

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Several political opponents are in detention. Many of the detainees are elderly or suffer medical ailments. Released detainees told Human Rights Watch that they had been subjected to long interrogations and denied medications. A journalist, was hospitalized after security officials beat her during her arrest. All detainees in custody of are at risk of ill-treatment. The security agency is known for ill-treatment and torture of detainees, and, under Angolan law, has wide-ranging powers of arrest and detention for up to four and a half months without judicial review.

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Angola’s economy increasingly deteriorated since the end of 2013 and in response, the government has imposed austerity measures that included devaluing the currency and privatizing Sonangol, driving up the price of oil inside of the interland. International experts have long criticized the government for corruption and economic mismanagement, and serious human rights abuses committed by those who detains the power.

 

“Instead of silencing critics, Angola government should engage in the quest of solutions to these fundamental and persistent problems in its governance. “The route of repression will only breed more abuses and destruction of the rule of law.”