In a recent statement, Amnesty International has called for the immediate release of four activists in Angola who have been detained for a year. The organization also accused Angolan authorities of withholding necessary medical care from the detained individuals.
The four activists—Adolfo Campos, Abraão Pedro Santos, Gilson Morreira, and Hermenegildo Victor José—were arrested on September 16, 2023, in Luanda. They had planned to participate in a protest supporting motorcycle taxi drivers. The activists were subsequently tried and convicted for “disobedience and resisting orders” under Article 333 of Angola’s criminal code. Amnesty International has criticized the trial, stating that no evidence was presented, and accusing Angolan authorities of using this article to arbitrarily detain critics.
Amnesty International has documented that three of the activists face declining health conditions, as authorities have allegedly refused to provide necessary medical care and urgent surgery. Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty’s Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa, stated, “We see a troubling pattern of Angolan authorities withholding medical care as a means of punishing peaceful dissent, amounting to torture.”
The appeal from Amnesty International comes amidst other calls for the release of individuals detained for their political activism. This includes the case of Angolan TikToker Ana da Silva Miguel, who was sentenced to two years in prison after criticizing President João Lourenço on a live TikTok video. Human Rights Watch also released a report documenting numerous human rights violations by Angolan authorities, including the unjust killings of more than 12 people since January 2023.
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